


Destiny

by Nikia_Sarang



Series: Quest For Supremacy [1]
Category: Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries (TV), True Blood (TV)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Demons, Drama & Romance, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Graphic Description, M/M, Paranormal, Supernatural Creatures, Teen Romance, Vampires, Warlocks, Werewolves, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-19 11:30:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 107,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22143547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikia_Sarang/pseuds/Nikia_Sarang
Summary: A young woman, struggling to cope with the loss of her mother, discovers she has unusual abilities after she falls in love with a young man who forever changes her life.
Series: Quest For Supremacy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606303
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. No Such Thing As Coincidence

**Author's Note:**

> This is book 1 of a 5 book series which I began in the Fall of 2009. It all began with a dream I had about me hunting supernatural/evil monsters with Sam and Dean.
> 
> There are major character and story crossovers in this series with: Supernatural, Vampire Diaries at first and then later on in the series, True Blood. 
> 
> Initially the story begins with the main female character as a teen and she eventually dates another teen. There is dating and consensual sexual activity between the teen characters but I try to be conscientious of the age of the characters in the timeline so as not to make it graphic. It's going to be typical of what you would see on the TV shows. 
> 
> Given the subject matter of the content I don't recommend this story to anyone who is a minor.

I sensed something before it began. It caused me to jolt from a sound sleep. I thought I heard voices but all I could smell was smoke and I panicked. I ran into the hall and screamed at the top of my lungs.

“Fire! Fire!”

Then I ran to the twin’s rooms and woke them up forcefully to make them follow me into the hall. Dad was there.

“Take them outside.” He cried out.  
“Mom! Where’s Mom?” I panicked.

“I’ll find her—just get out of here right now!”

I grabbed the twin’s hands and pulled them down the hall and then down the stairs. We ran outside onto the front lawn and that’s when I noticed people coming out of their homes.

“Call 911!” I yelled as the twins each held onto one of my legs.

Someone did as I asked while I watched helplessly unable to do a thing. It didn’t take long for me to see that the fire was coming from my parent’s room. Seconds later Dad ran out of the house, picked up the twins in his arms and then yelled at me to follow him, which I did. We had just made it across the street when the explosion happened.

“Mom!” I screamed and was about to run toward the house, but Dad put the twins down and got in my way.

“No Nina! It’s too late.”

“No!” I screamed and he held me back from going in and I collapsed on my knees sobbing.

In a blink, everything can change. One second your life can be amazing and the next second, it’s like a tsunami has hit full force and your life is obliterated in microscopic pieces around you. You have no idea what to think, what to do or how to feel. That’s what it was like after Mom died. Prior to that… life seemed grand, we had a happy family, my parents were blissfully married, and my twin brother and sister and I had a relatively secure life but then came the boom and it knocked us on our ass. Things were never the same after that.

* * *

In small towns everyone knows your business. I'm not sure why that is but it’s just the way things are. It’s hard to deal with that when you’re an especially private person like my Dad. It was fine before my mom died. We were involved in a lot of community events and organizations but the night she died—it changed everything. He was a widower with three kids and no idea what to do next. Thankfully we had an insurance settlement and it enabled us to live a relatively comfortable life despite the horrendous circumstances. It was a good thing too because Dad quit his job as a mechanic at the local garage and began working out of town while I helped with my younger twin siblings. He became obsessed with me learning survival skills in case we were faced with another tragedy. Before my mom died, I was already enrolled in martial arts but after she died, he had me practice shooting at the local range and made sure I could survive if I was stranded in the woods by myself. He seemed to focus more on me instead of my siblings. They learned some survival skills, but they were young, and Dad counted on me to look after them if something happened. It was a hefty responsibility for someone my age, but I could hardly blame him. Our family was almost torn apart by my mom’s death and while I grieved privately, I had to keep it together so that my little brother and sister, Andrew and Arielle, wouldn’t be thrown to the wayside. Dad was already worried enough without having to add a teenager to the mix so… I did what I could to help him raise them while I honed my skills and kept up my studies at school. His close friends John, Ellen, Ed, and Rufus visited right away which was a big help to Dad. They had been a fixture in our lives since I was probably about three but when they found out what happened they didn’t hesitate to offer their assistance. They seemed angrier rather than sad at Mom’s death, but I just figured that everyone dealt with grief in their own way and I didn’t think anything of it.

Most of the town folk pitched in during the transition and helped us a lot. Our neighbours would babysit my brother and sister when I couldn’t, and they would make meals for us to help take the pressure off my Dad or me. We appreciated every gesture and my Dad showed his gratitude by helping some of them with any mechanical problems when he had spare time. Truth was he didn’t have a lot of spare time. He constantly kept himself, or us, busy as a means of escape so he didn’t have to think about my mom. He left the family photos up, but he didn’t talk about her. He just focused on us trying to be as normal of a family as we could be, considering all that happened.

* * *

By the time I began high school I was a lean, mean but hesitant killing machine from of all the training I had. If I crossed paths with someone in a dark alley and they attempted to attack me, I would probably give them a run for their money and cause serious damage. I kept it to myself though, Dad didn’t want me telling anyone, not even my best friend, Bonnie—who I had known since we were six years old. I didn’t understand why but I just figured he didn’t want the town to gossip about us any more than they already had. The problem was that I couldn’t really keep anything from Bonnie, she was naturally perceptive, and I was a horrible liar anyway so when she asked questions, I told her the truth. She smiled slightly and told me she thought it was a good idea to know self-defense but that’s all. She never brought it up again until much, much later.

I was thankful to begin high school. It represented so much opportunity and the chance to move toward a bright future. I became a quiet, shy person after Mom’s death, but Bonnie tried to get me to meet new people. I reluctantly agreed while I watched her befriend a few new people within the first weeks of school. I didn’t say much but I sat with her and them. As I became more comfortable, I would occasionally interact with them when they hung around us. For the most part I concentrated on my schoolwork. I suppose that was my escape. Dad had his job, hunting, and us—I had my studies. Bonnie was used to this and she made sure our new friends, Matt and Elena, knew I wasn’t being antisocial. It wasn’t like they were oblivious—they knew what happened to my mom, the whole town did, and I'm sure they understood that it would take time to deal with it. They gave me my space and didn’t make a big deal when I was distracted by homework during lunch or after school. Bonnie did, however, suggest that I have my schedule changed so she could be in all my classes. Her reasoning was that it would be easier for me to have at least one familiar and friendly face in class during our first year in high school, but I knew it wasn’t coincidental that Matt and Elena also had the same schedule. It was her subtle way of trying to pull me out of my shell or...maybe she saw something that I didn’t.

The first Monday in the fourth week of school would prove to be a catalyst for change in many ways. I'm surprised I didn’t see it coming. I should have. I always seemed to get glimpses of things if they would affect me in a profound way but that day I didn’t. I just walked into the school like any other day and slowly walked down the hall with Bonnie. The school was abuzz with a lot of whispering. I arched an eyebrow and looked at Bonnie who appeared to be hiding a smile.

“What?” I asked curiously.

“You’ll see.” She smiled.

“You know something.” I whispered but she didn’t comment because Elena walked up to us at that moment.

“Did you hear?” Elena asked with a big grin.

“Hear what?” I asked.

“There’s a new student.” Bonnie smiled.

“We’re all new students. It’s our first year.” I replied.

“No... I’m talking new to the town.” Elena added.

“Oh.” I looked at Bonnie who was trying to keep her smile from turning into a huge grin.

“He’s in the office with his older brother.” Elena stared down the hall. “Word is they’re pretty cute.”

I couldn’t be bothered to worry about a cute new student or his cute older brother. I rolled my eyes and kept walking forward while Bonnie and Elena walked beside me. It was hard to ignore the curious stares directed toward the office or the quiet commentaries about the cute new guy and his hot older brother. I stopped outside the office. If I didn’t have to get my new schedule I would have just walked by without looking inside. I was sure the new guy felt awkward enough without everyone staring and whispering amongst themselves. I kind of felt bad for him.

“I have to get my new schedule.” I replied.

“We’ll see you in class.” Bonnie replied and pulled on Elena’s arm.

“Why don’t you just wait for me?” I asked.

Bonnie smirked and Elena shrugged her shoulders as they walked away. I quietly walked inside the office, trying not to draw attention to myself. I stood against the far wall, so they didn’t notice me while I waited for one of the receptionists to help me. I wasn’t even there for 5 seconds when the older brother noticed me standing there and gave me a big grin.

“Hey.” He said smoothly while his younger brother frowned at him.

He was so attractive that he looked like a male model and he knew it. He seemed like a player, the kind that got a lot of women but aside from that, there was something about him which felt familiar to me, more so with his younger brother. I subtly looked at him. He had short brown hair with bangs parted in the middle and came down at the sides. He was wearing a black leather jacket, blue sweater, and blue jeans. He was cute, very cute, and I was trying hard not to notice. They were both tall but the younger one was taller...which seemed odd to me. I couldn’t help but notice he shook his head at his older brother’s behaviour and concentrated on what the receptionist was saying.

A moment later the other receptionist came out of the principal’s office with a notebook in her hand and set it on the desk when she noticed me.

“You’re here to get your revised schedule, right Nina?” She asked brightly. I nodded once and forced a smile.

At this point they both looked at me while I approached the counter. She sorted through some papers on her desk and then pulled out a sheet and walked over to me. The younger brother gave me a curious look and when I returned the gaze he smiled nervously. The receptionist was just about to hand me my new schedule when I noticed her staring over at the piece of paper the other receptionist was holding.

“You have good timing.” She grinned at the younger brother. “It seems you both have the same schedule and I'm sure Nina wouldn’t mind showing you around.” 

They looked at me expectantly as my face flushed.

“Um...sure...yeah.” I stammered. “I just have to go to my locker first.”

“No problem.” The older brother commented with a big grin on his face while the younger one nodded.

I walked out of the office and down the hall. They followed at a distance but stopped when they noticed I got to my locker. I rummaged through my stuff trying not to overhear their conversation and failing miserably. I didn’t let on that I heard them.

“She’s cute, Sammy.” The older brother commented, not realizing that I could hear them.

“Dean, shut up.” Sammy replied and I heard a smacking sound. That made me smile.  
“What? You can’t have any fun while you’re here?”

“Your idea of fun and my idea of fun differ greatly.”  
“I forgot that you’re married to your homework.” Dean said. “It’s just as well anyway...we’re only here for a few weeks so it’s better not to get attached to anyone.” Sammy rolled his eyes. I liked him immediately.

“I know the drill.” Sammy replied in an annoyed tone of voice. “Can you go now so I'm not late for class?”

Dean smirked and then noticed I was staring at them. He nodded with a smile and I swiftly faced my locker as my cheeks turned red from embarrassment. I heard footsteps leading in the opposite direction and I felt relieved that the coast was clear. I was wrong. After I got out the books I needed and closed my locker door I almost ran into Sammy. My face turned red again.

“Um...sorry.” I mumbled. He smiled. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop...”

“It’s fine.” Sammy replied. “It’s hard to ignore my annoying brother anyway.” That made me chuckle. “I'm Sam.”

“I'm Nina.” I answered quietly. So… Sammy was the brother’s nickname for him.

“I'm sorry you got roped into this.” He said, almost guiltily.

“It’s no problem.” I replied. “I'm sure it sucks being the new kid.”

“I'm used to it.” He said with an edge to his voice and I arched my eyebrows. “We move around a lot.”

“That must really suck.” I blurted. “Um...no disrespect to your family...” He chuckled.

“It’s okay. I agree with you. It would be nice to stay in one place for a while.”

“You’re not here for long?”

“I’m only here for a few weeks because my dad’s working in the area.”

“Huh...well if you need a locker, you can use mine. I don’t have a lot of stuff.”

“That’s nice of you but I’ve got it covered.” He motioned to his backpack and I nodded.

I stared at him for a moment. I couldn’t put my finger on it but there was something very intriguing about him. He had a pleasant countenance, nice green eyes, and a smile that made my stomach feel weird. I could see why the girls in school were in an uproar. He was very appealing and had a sweetness about him that drew you in like bees go to honey.

“I'm guessing the other guy was your brother?” I asked.

“Yeah...Dean.” He rolled his eyes. “Sorry.”

“For what?” I asked, confused.

“Him.” He replied instantly. “He takes some getting used to.”

“He’s a badass, huh?” I asked.

“You could say that, but he means well.”

“Don’t they all?” I smiled and he laughed. “Don’t worry about it. He doesn’t bug me.”

“Just hang out with him long enough and he will.”

“You don’t have to worry about me hanging out with older guys.” I replied. “That’s not my thing. Uh…I should show you to class.”

“You don’t mind?”  
“We’re in the same classes...it’s not like I'm taking a detour to Siberia or anything.” He chuckled again.

“You’re surprisingly witty.” He grinned.

“Well it’s completely by accident, I promise.” I answered and he had an even bigger smile on his face.

I was quiet as we walked. I could tell he would look down at me from my peripheral vision, but my face would turn red and I suddenly couldn’t think of anything to say. When we got to the class and walked inside, we got some interesting looks.

“Thanks again, Nina.” Wow, he had a great smile.

“You’re welcome, Sam.”

I smiled back at him and then quickly scurried to my seat which was in front of Bonnie and beside Elena. He walked to the back of the class and took the only empty seat. I sat down and tried to casually look back at him, but he noticed and grinned which made me blush again.

“So that’s the new guy?” Elena asked.

“Yes.” I mumbled. “And he’s only here for a few weeks.”

“He _is_ cute.” Elena commented.

“He’s nice.” I remarked. Elena looked toward the back of the class and then looked back at me.

“He likes you.” Bonnie remarked without looking at him.

“What?” I frowned. “ _No_ —I don’t even know him.”

“Well, he keeps looking over here.” Elena replied.

“That’s just because I'm the only person he met.”

“Yeah...that’s it.” Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Not the fact he met a cute blonde who was nice to him.”

Elena stifled a laugh, but I wasn’t going down that road. Nope.

“Whatever.” I commented and opened my books.

I was glad when the teacher finally began speaking because I didn’t want to keep talking to Elena or Bonnie about him. For some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about him and I wasn’t sure why. Occasionally, I would turn to face Bonnie and steal a glance at him without him noticing. He was strangely focused on what the teacher said and took notes. That was new. I wasn’t used to guys being interested in English class.

“You’re staring at him again.” Bonnie whispered and I clammed up and turned around. “There’s nothing wrong with being interested in a boy.”

“I don’t think Dad would like it.”

“I think he’s a bit too busy to notice.” Elena remarked.

“Yeah right...” I whispered and continued to take notes while the teacher talked.

“I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s not a crime to like someone.” Elena added.

“It doesn’t make much sense if he isn’t here for long.”

“Then make a new friend, there’s no harm in that.” Bonnie replied. She had a point. “When he leaves you can keep in touch.”

“I think you’re assuming a bit too much. Just because I showed him to class doesn’t mean he’s interested in being my friend.”

“I think you’re underestimating the way he looked at you.” Elena smirked.

“Can we talk about this later?” I asked as I stared at the chalkboard.

“I'm going to ask him to sit with us during lunch.” Bonnie commented and I turned around to face her.

“Are you serious?” I was mortified and it was about to get worse.

“Miss Ramsey.” The teacher stated in a loud voice and my face turned red as I looked at him.

“Um…yes?”

“Would you like to share your comments with the rest of the class?”

Oh crap. My brain searched for something to say, anything to say but the only thing I could think of was a Robert Frost poem.

“I was telling Bonnie about a poem I read.”

“Interesting...which one?” He asked in disbelief while everyone stared at me.

“The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.” He studied me for a moment and motioned for me to continue. “It got me thinking that sometimes it’s better to go against the grain and not with the current.”

He stared at me for a moment, unsure of what to think, and then he smiled.

“I couldn’t agree more.” He replied. “Now if you’re finished discussing poems with your friends that aren’t a part of _today’s_ lesson why don’t we continue from where I left off?” I nodded quickly and turned beet red.

“Okay, yes, I’m sorry, Sir.”

He faced the chalkboard and resumed writing while there were quiet snickers from other students.

“Nice comeback.” Elena whispered.

I didn’t reply. There was no way I was going to chance being singled out again. I didn’t look back at Bonnie or Sam after that. I stayed focused on the teacher and avoided any further embarrassment. When the class was over, I closed my books, gathered my pencil case and stood up. Bonnie and Elena were looking behind them. I followed their gaze and noticed Sam was looking our way, almost like he was trying to figure out something. He smiled and nodded once. I smiled back.

“Why don’t you show him where the rest of his classes are?” Bonnie suggested.

“Um...” I was about to answer when Elena interrupted.

“We’ll catch ya later.” Elena said and grabbed Bonnie’s arm, leading her away.

“What are you doing?” I asked while they walked away.

“Hey.” Sam said and I turned around. _Stay calm and don’t act like an idiot._

“Sorry about my friends. This is a small town, and everyone here is curious.”

“It’s fine, I’m used to it.” He replied as we walked out of the class. He looked down the hall and then back at his sheet of paper.

“I did agree to show you around.” _Wow...did I just say that?_

“I’d appreciate that.” He replied and showed me the paper. I looked at it and my eyes bulged. “Something wrong?”

“No...” I shook my head. “I just realized you’re in _all_ my classes.”

“She did say we had the same schedule.” He replied.  
“Yeah she did.. huh, I guess I didn’t think it was exactly the same. That’s an interesting coincidence.” Or was it?

“Well at least I know one friendly face.”

“We should probably get going before we’re late for our next class.” I answered hastily and began walking.

“So you’re a Robert Frost fan?” He asked curiously.

“Yeah...” I mumbled.

“I like that poem, it’s one of my favourites.”

“Mine too.” I kept looking straight ahead until we got to our class. “Here we are.” I fidgeted nervously.

“See you after class.” He grinned and took a seat at the back like the previous time.

When I sat down Bonnie and Elena were smirking and staring at me expectantly.

“Don’t say a word.” I commented.

“What’s wrong?” Bonnie asked.

“I don’t know.” I replied.

“He seems really nice.” Elena added.

“He is.” I agreed.

“Then what’s the matter?” Elena asked. I shook my head.

“She’s nervous.” Bonnie replied.

“That’s normal.” Elena answered.

“I just met him, and I can’t stop thinking about him. Isn’t that a bit weird?” I commented quietly.

“Nope—it’s destiny.” Bonnie replied.

“What?” I asked.

“Obviously you two were meant to meet each other.” She continued. “I mean look...he’s in two of your classes.”

“He’s in _all_ of my classes.” I replied.

“Wow.” Elena grinned. “I think Bonnie is right. What are the chances of you meeting a cute guy who is only here for a little while and he has every class with you? That can’t be a coincidence.” She had a point.

“I agree, I don’t think it’s a coincidence at all, actually.” Bonnie added.

“Huh.” I mumbled.

“Come on Nina, loosen up. This is a good thing.” Bonnie replied.

“Fine. If he wants to be friends, I won’t say no.” I mumbled quietly.

“Yay.” Elena grinned.

They sat back with smug expressions while I became increasingly nervous. Something about Sam gave me butterflies. It was obvious that we had similar interests but was it a good idea to like a guy who wasn’t going to be around for long? The jury was out on that one. Maybe Bonnie was right, I could always stay in touch with him—there wasn’t any harm in that.

When the class ended, I waited for Sam while Bonnie and Elena lingered for a moment. He walked over and smiled at them.

“This is Elena and Bonnie.” I said.

“Hi, I'm Sam.”

“Did you want to have lunch with us today?” Elena piped up.

“Uh—yeah sure.” He replied hesitantly.

“If you have other plans, it’s okay.” I interjected. “Don’t feel obligated just because you’re in our classes.”

“No it’s not that.” He replied. “I just don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not intruding.” Bonnie replied.

“Okay, sure.” He smiled.

“We’ll see you later then.” She remarked and walked off with Elena. He arched an eyebrow.

“They mean well.” I replied. “I think they’re just worried about me.” Oh crap, I didn’t mean to say that.

“Why?” He looked concerned.

“Uh—I have a lot of stuff going on and I’ve been a bit reclusive lately.”

“I know what you mean.” He replied but didn’t elaborate.

“Anyway...if you have other plans you don’t have to sit with us.”

“I don’t have any other plans and honestly I could use the distraction.”

There was something below the surface of his response that tugged at me. I could sense he was conflicted but had no idea what it could possibly be.

“Does it have to do with your brother?”

“My Dad and my brother have pretty full plates and it can get overwhelming.”

“Boy, do I know how you feel.” I replied. “I don’t know how my Dad keeps it together.”

“Is everything okay?” He asked. He felt curious about me but wasn’t sure why.

“Um...well maybe I shouldn’t talk about it—at least not right now.”

“Okay. No problem.” He nodded slightly.

We walked to our next class in silence, but we would occasionally look at each other and grin. Elena and Bonnie kept staring at each other like I had won the lottery while I tried to ignore them to ensure I didn’t get singled out in class again.

When it was lunch time, he walked with us to the cafeteria. I introduced him to Matt, who in turn introduced him to Tyler—who had just started hanging around us. They didn’t sit with us all the time because they were vying for the football team. They were preoccupied with tryouts and would often hang out with other jocks associated with it but today they decided to sit with us again. As I sat down Sam automatically sat beside me which drew some curious expressions from the guys and smirks from the girls. Except for the occasional comment Sam kept to himself and spoke to me most of the time. Nobody said anything about it, but it appeared like Matt and Tyler were annoyed. I wasn’t sure why, but I just brushed it off and didn’t give it any thought.

“So... where are you from, Sam?” Tyler asked, interrupting us.

“Lawrence, Kansas.” Sam replied.

“That’s a ways from here.” Matt added. “What brings you to town?”

“My Dad’s working in the area.” Sam answered.

“For how long?” Elena asked.

“A few weeks or so.”

“That’s all?” Bonnie asked and I frowned at her.

“We move around a lot.” Sam replied.

“Is your Dad in the army or something?” Tyler asked.

“Something like that.” He replied.

“Must be hard to keep friends.” Matt answered.

“It can be.” Sam replied.

At that point—I interjected. I could sense that Sam was uncomfortable, and the guys seemed to be putting undue pressure on him.

“You want to go for a walk?” I asked.

“Sure.” Sam smiled and I faced the others. 

“We’ll catch you later.” I stated and they nodded with subdued grins which I hoped that Sam didn’t notice.

We put our trays away and then he followed me outside. I intentionally walked to a vacant bench by a tree.

“Sorry about that.” I remarked. “The people in this town are so intrusive. They mean well but it gets on my Dad’s nerves and mine, occasionally.”

“Is your dad a private man?”

“He is now.” I replied. He looked back at the school.

“Your friends seem protective of you.”

“We’ve been through a lot.” I sighed. “I might as well tell you now since you’ll find out eventually.”

“What is it?”

“My Mom died almost two years ago, and it threw a wrench into everything.”

“Wow. I'm so sorry.” The kindness in his eyes was evident.

“We were involved in the community before she died so the town folk kind of rallied around us afterwards.”

“That’s nice.”

“It is.” I sighed.

“But...?”

“As you can see, I don’t get much privacy and it can get annoying.”

“For what it’s worth...you’re lucky to have friends like that.”

“You don’t have many friends, do you?” I asked.

“It’s hard to make friends when you’re on the road all the time.”

“That sucks.”

“It can but I make up for it.”

“I noticed you’re very attentive in class.”

“It’s a good distraction.”

“My sentiments exactly.”

“We have a lot in common.” He replied with a smile.

“It seems like it.”

“I lost my Mom when I was a baby.”

“Wow...I’m sorry.” I replied. He brushed it off.

“You cope.”

“Is that why your Dad’s on the road all the time?” I asked. He stared at me for a moment before answering.

“Yes.”

“It bugs you, doesn’t it?”

“I’d like to stay in one place for a change, but I can’t really do that.”

“And here I am... stuck in the same place where everybody knows your name and your business.” He smiled.

“It’s better than running away.” He had a point.

“True.” I replied and he then he suddenly looked almost as though he gave away a state secret.

“Sorry...I didn’t mean to dump that on you.”

“It’s okay, I get it. Both our dads seem to be coping the best way they know how. It’s not like they got a handbook when our moms died.”

“It’s weird. I'm not usually this open with people I don’t know.” He commented.

“Me either...but it feels good to know that someone gets how I feel.”

“Yeah.”

“If you want to hang out after school, I'm cool with that.” I offered and he contemplated that for a second.

“I might be able to sneak away.” He remarked.

“Your brother doesn’t want you to make friends?”

“He thinks it’s pointless to get attached to people that we might not see again.”

“I suppose he does have a point.”

“This is the first time I’ve met someone who knows how I feel, and it would be nice to actually do something other than sit in a motel room and do homework.”

“You could always tell him you’re going to the library.” I commented. “And I could meet you there.”

“That would work.” He smiled. He stared at me for a few minutes and I felt weird.

“What?”

“You seem so familiar to me, like we met in another life or something...if you believe in that sort of thing.”

“I don’t.” I replied.

“Neither do I.”

“But you’re right...we have some sort of...connection or something.” I motioned to us. “Has that happened to you before?”

“No, never.”

“Me either but maybe Elena was right.”

“About what?”

“She said that the chance of meeting someone new who isn’t supposed to be around long but just happens to be in all my classes isn’t a coincidence.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know—destiny maybe?” I said and he contemplated it for a moment. “If you believe in that kind of thing.”

“I do, actually. I believe that everything happens for a reason.” He nodded.

“Me too.”

The bell rang, jolting us out of our intense conversation and reminding us to get our asses in gear and get to class. We ran back inside, got our books and went to class. Elena and Bonnie smirked at us when we took our seats, but Matt and Tyler weren’t impressed, and I had no idea why.

“What’s with the guys?” I asked Bonnie and I noticed Elena smirk.

“They’re territorial.” Bonnie replied.

“About what?” I was clueless.

“I think Tyler is into you.” Elena whispered.

“What? _No_.” I shook my head.

“Yes, he is.” Bonnie smiled and nodded.

“But he barely talks to me.”

“Because you barely talk to anyone—except Sam, apparently.” She replied.

“Really?”

“Other than a few interactions here and there you haven’t said much to either of them, but the second Sam shows up on the scene you’re so into him.” Elena commented.

“That’s not true.” I replied.

“Nina, you should see the look on your face when you talk to him. You’re in your own world.” Bonnie replied.

“Well...we have a lot in common.”

“Your face lights up. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you somewhat happy.” She added.

I looked over at Sam and he smiled at me. I swear my heart jumped at the sight and I smiled back. I looked at Bonnie again.

“I don’t know what it is about him...but he makes me feel comfortable and safe.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” Elena replied. “And I'm sure the cuteness factor doesn’t hurt.” Bonnie laughed.

Until I met him, I hadn’t really paid attention to other guys. I was too preoccupied with my own family drama and homework to be concerned about it, but she was right. He was very good looking and those puppy dog eyes of his had a way of distracting me from everything else. The only problem was that he wasn’t going to be around for long and if I fell for him, I would be hurt when he left.

I dazed my way through the rest of the class and counted down the minutes until I could walk with him to the next one. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do after school. I told him we could hang out at the library but that’s before I remembered I had responsibilities at home. Dad wouldn’t be very happy if I skipped out to hang out with some boy he didn’t know, and it seemed pointless to introduce him to a boy that would be leaving in a few weeks. Then it occurred to me that I could take Arielle and Andrew to the park and then meet Sam there. At least I would get a chance to spend time with him…if he wasn’t put off by my younger siblings.

The bell jolted me back to reality and I gathered my books. Sam offered to carry them for me, but I politely refused. For some reason, it helped having something to grip onto. As we walked into the hall, I noticed Matt and Tyler frown at Sam, but he didn’t notice. He was too busy staring at me.

“So what time did you want to meet at the library?” He asked.

“Crap.” I commented.

“What?”

“I forgot I have to look after my younger brother and sister.”

“How old are they?”

“8 and it’s kind of my job to watch them.” He frowned at my response. “What?”

“Your dad makes _you_ look after them?”  
“No... he doesn’t _make me_ per se... it’s just that I do my part to help things run smoothly. I pick them up after school, walk them home, fix dinner and then do my homework while they play.”

“You’re a bit young to act like a mother.” There was an edge in his voice. Wow. The idea bothered him.

“It’s not really like that. The neighbours help out a bit and we do have a babysitter.”

“Well that’s good.” He considered it for a moment. “We could go to the park.” He changed the subject. “That way they can have some fun and we could still hang out together.”

“Great idea.” I smiled. “But won’t your brother find out?”

“Uh...well...he’s usually preoccupied helping our dad.”

“Oh so it’s a family business.”

“Kind of, yeah.”

“So you don’t have a curfew or anything?”

“Not really but I do have to keep him in the know.”

“Same here but if it’s all the same to you...I don’t really want my dad knowing I'm hanging around a guy.” “Protective?” He arched an eyebrow.

“You have no idea.”

“I might...my dad’s pretty intense.”

“Well since my mom died, he makes sure I can handle myself.”

“How?”

“Self-defense.”

“That’s a good thing.” _If you only knew._

“It is but it sometimes borders on paranoia. I can’t say no though because it’s his way of dealing with Mom’s death. If it makes him feel at ease for me to know that I can protect myself then I’d rather just do it instead of argue with him about it.”

“It sounds like we’re both in the same boat.”

“Trying to keep the peace in our family?”

“Yeah. We both do what they want to keep them happy and to avoid conflict.” Huh. “But in the end, we’re the only ones who aren’t really happy.”

“You’re not happy?” I asked as we stopped just outside of our next class.

“I am since I met you.” He replied with a smile surprised with his feelings but happy, nonetheless.

“Yeah, me too...that’s something I guess.” Wow. I could get lost in those eyes. Those damn puppy dog eyes.

“It is.” He nodded.

I stared up at him for a moment while the other students tried to shuffle around us. We were blocking the entrance and when we clued into that he nodded and walked to a vacant seat while I sat down, thinking about everything he said. If I didn’t know better, it seemed like we were almost being raised in the same way minus the constant moving.

It became apparent by the end of the day that Sam and I were going to be inseparable. Elena and Bonnie were amused while Matt and Tyler were annoyed. I didn’t care what anyone thought. It felt good to finally have someone who really knew what I was going through, and I wasn’t going to apologize for it. I piled my books into my backpack while he waited beside me.

“I’d offer to walk with you to get your brother and sister, but my brother is probably waiting outside.”

“You don’t want me to see him, again do you?”

“I think it’s best if you don’t. He’s a little rough around the edges and he’ll give me grief if he knows that I made any real friends.”

“That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.” I commented with a furrowed brow.

“There’s a lot about my dad and brother that don’t make sense but it’s easier to go with the flow.”

“I get it.” I nodded.

“Did you want to hang out later on?” He asked.

“I do.” I handed him a piece of paper with my number on it that I scribbled during class. “Give me a call if you have a day pass.”

“Will do.” He chuckled.

Elena and Bonnie joined us as we walked down the hall and out of the school. Sam’s gaze focused ahead of him toward the road. I followed his line of sight to see a 1967 black Chevy Impala and his brother inside, moving his hand to the beat of the music. Thus far, he was unaware of our presence.

“Nice car.” I commented.

“Thanks, it’s our Dad’s.” Sam replied. It reminded me of a car that our family friend, John, drove.

“Cool.” Elena remarked.

“You should see Nina’s dad’s car. It’s a classic Mustang.” Bonnie piped up.

“Nice.” Sam commented. “Well...I better get going before he gets out and gives me all kinds of grief.”

“See you later.” I replied and he smiled.

“For sure.” He nodded and walked down the stairs and the sidewalk toward the car.

“I like him.” Elena commented.

“Me too.” Bonnie remarked. “He seems to really like you.”

“We just click.” I replied.

“Oh, it’s more than that. It’s like you have a connection or something.” Bonnie replied. Funny but that was exactly how I felt.

“You know something I don’t?” Elena asked Bonnie with a curious expression.

“I don’t know...it’s just a feeling I get.”

It was a little-known fact that Bonnie’s feelings were usually bang on and I was the last person to ever dispute it when she sensed something.

“I kind of feel the same way.” I replied.

Bonnie stared at the Impala as Sam got inside. When he closed the door and sat down, he quickly looked at us but didn’t give his brother any indication. After a moment he faced his brother and began talking. Bonnie kept staring and while Elena was distracted talking to Matt who walked up to us with Tyler. I couldn’t take my eyes off Bonnie.

“Are you alright?” I whispered to her. Bonnie looked at me, her eyes glistened with tears.

“You really do have a lot in common, don’t you?” She whispered and but I didn’t have time to reply.

“What’s up with the new guy?” Tyler asked and diverted my attention.

“He’s been through a lot and you shouldn’t be a jerk to him.” Bonnie snapped and walked away briskly. Elena ran after her.

“What’s her deal?” Matt asked.

“I don’t know but I agree with her.” I stared at them. “Don’t be a jerk to Sam.” Tyler glowered.

“We just thought it was creepy how he was staring at you.” Matt replied defensively.

“He’s actually a nice guy and the last thing I need is either one of you two starting a fight with him.”

“Who said anything about that?” Matt asked in shock. I looked at Tyler.

“Just a feeling I got.” I replied. “Anyway...I have to pick up my brother and sister from school.” I walked away without looking back.

“Smooth.” Matt frowned at Tyler.

“I'm not going to pretend I like the idea of some strange, tall, freak stalking her.”

“He’s not stalking her.”

“Well he’s not avoiding her and it’s creepy...he just met her today.”

“Maybe they hit it off.”

“It sucks.”

“Well you’re the one who didn’t make your move, what do you expect her to do?”

“I was trying not to be a jerk and freak her out because she was shy.”

“Well he’s not a jerk and the girls are right, he seems like a good guy.”

“Did you see his brother? He’s a badass if I ever saw one.”

“You really don’t trust Sam, do you?”

“No, but I don’t know why.”

“You’re jealous, that’s why.”

“It’s not just that.”

“Well he’s not supposed to be here for long so just suck it up and stop being an ass, or you’ll never have a chance with Nina, ever.”

“Whatever.”

I hurriedly made my way to the twins’ school and picked them up. They kept looking at me when we walked home.

  
“What are you looking at?” I asked with a smile.

“You’re smiling.” Andrew said. “You hardly ever smile.”

“I smile when I'm with you two.” I replied and gave them a side hug.

“Yeah but that’s different.” Arielle commented.

“How so?”

“You look like you’ve been floating on a cloud.”

“What?” I chuckled.

“You know...the feeling you get when you’re up high.” She said with a smile.

“I still don’t know what you mean.”

“It’s like when I climb the trees and make it close to the top. I can see everything, and it feels so cool, like I never want to come down.” She grinned. “You look like that.”

“You’re not supposed to be climbing the tall trees in the backyard.” I replied firmly and she lowered her eyes.

“I don’t do it anymore.” She tried to cover up.

“Yeah she does, I just don’t tell anyone about it.” Andrew answered.

“Dad will kick my butt if he knows you’ve been up there. So much could happen.” I replied.

“But I'm so careful.” She argued.

“Doesn’t matter—they call them accidents for a reason.” I replied.

“Hmmph!” She folded her arms and glared at Andrew.

“Don’t give him a dirty look because you got caught doing something you shouldn’t.”

That effectively ended the conversation on the way home. They both kept quiet and when we were inside the house, I made them start their homework while I got dinner ready. Dad left a message that he was going to be late and to eat without him. I sighed and looked out the window. I thought about Sam and what a nice distraction he would be while I tried to forget about how my dad was working another late night. Only seconds later, the phone rang.

“Hello?” I asked.

“It’s Sam.” He answered softly.

“Hey.” I grinned.

“You’ve got that look again.” Arielle commented.

“Shhh!” I remarked. “Do your homework.” I left the room and walked into the kitchen. “What are you up to?”

“Do you think you can get away in an hour?” He asked curiously.

“My dad’s working late so I think so.”

“We’ve got a few hours of daylight left so we should be okay if you want to bring your brother and sister to the park in the middle of the town.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“I’ll be sitting on a bench.”

“See you later.”

“Bye.” Click. I hung the cordless phone up and put it back on the charger in the living room.

“Who was that?” Andrew asked.

“A friend.” I remarked. “You know, I was thinking maybe after dinner we could go to the park for a few hours.”

“Yay!” Arielle commented.

“Awesome.” Andrew added.

“Dad’s going to be a bit late so I figured we could kill some time.” Arielle frowned.

“Again?” She moaned. “He’s _always_ late.”

“Not always.” I replied.

“It feels like it.” Andrew answered.

“He’s doing the best he can so cut him some slack. It’s not easy trying to take care of us on his own.”

“You take care of us.” Arielle remarked.

“He does what he can and so do I... but don’t ever think that he doesn’t love you or that you’re not important to him.”

“I know.” She sighed. “I just miss him.”

“Me too.” Andrew added.

“Me three but this is temporary. It will get better.” I replied.

“When?” Arielle asked.

“Hopefully soon.”

When the twins had eaten, and I had put the dishes in the sink we got ready and walked to the park. Immediately they ran to the play structures while I sat on the bench beside Sam. They didn’t even notice he was there. They were too preoccupied playing with their other friends who happened to be there.

“They’re having fun.” Sam remarked.

“They need it.”

“How are they doing...you know...after your mom...”

“They’re okay. Some days are better than others, like this one.” I answered quietly.

“What about your dad?”

“He works late, a lot, and that’s hard on them.”

“But they have you.”

“That they do.”

“It must be hard on you too.”

“I miss the way things used to be and I really miss my mom, but I keep thinking that we’re luckier than most. I don’t want to take anything for granted.”

“It’s a good way to look at things.”

“There’s always someone who is worse off.”

“True.”

“I bet it’s not easy for you to be travelling on the road all the time.”

“It has its moments.” He replied stiffly.

“How long have you been living on the road?”

“As long as I can remember.” I put a hand on his arm.

“Did Dean take care of you a lot?”

“Yes.”

“I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“For not knowing what it’s like to have a somewhat normal family.” He shrugged.

“Like you said, there’s always someone who is worse off. Dad’s doing the best he can, and the bottom line is that we know he loves us.” His answer seemed robotic.

“Do you?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Sam, I'm willing to bet that there is more beneath the surface of what you’re telling me.” He lowered his eyes. “I know because I do the same thing.”

He put his arm on the back of the bench, behind where I sat, and I felt the side of his hand graze the outside of my shoulder. It gave me chills.

“I have no doubt whatsoever that your dad really loves you, even if he doesn’t express it like he should.”

“How do you know?”

“Because it takes a strong man not to bail on his family when his wife dies. He could’ve left you with other family members but even if he did run away...he still took you and your brother with him.”

“I don’t know how you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Somehow make me feel better when everything screams at me to feel the opposite.”

“I guess it’s just not in me to let someone lose hope.”

“You barely know me.”

“And yet I somehow I know you are here for a greater purpose.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, gut feeling.”  
“Are they usually right?”

“Yes, and so are Bonnie’s.”

“Bonnie?”

“She’s fairly intuitive...almost freakishly so and she likes you, but she could tell you’ve been through a lot.”

He just looked at me for a few minutes in silence. It was hard to tell what he was thinking but given the scope of our conversation I didn’t want to bother him.

“I’ve never met anyone like you before.” He commented. “And I’ve met a lot of people.”

“I haven’t met a lot of people, but I’ve definitely never met anyone like you.”

“I wish I didn’t have to leave in a few weeks.”

“Me too.”

I stared straight ahead and watched the twins play. He took a good look around the outskirts of the playground and then he moved closer to me. After about 10 minutes the twins ran over to us and looked at Sam curiously.

“Is he the reason why you look like you’ve been floating on a cloud?” _Thanks Arielle!_

Sam faced me with an inquisitive expression and a huge smile.

“Am I?” He asked, almost laughing.

“Arielle, Andrew...this is my friend... _Steve_.” I interjected and prevented him from contradicting me.

“You like my sister, don’t you?” Andrew asked while he looked Sam over.

“Yeah, I guess I do.” He replied and then smiled at me.

“Then don’t be a jerk to her.” Arielle commented.

“Arielle!”

“What?” She asked innocently.

“I agree.” Andrew piped up. “You treat her right.”

“Will you two stop it!”

“No, no... it’s okay.” Sam replied with a smile. “I wouldn’t dream of hurting your sister.”

“Good.” She replied and ran back to play.

“You seem okay.” Andrew mumbled to Sam.

Andrew studied him for a second and then extended his hand to him. Sam shook it respectfully and then Andrew ran off to play soccer in another part of the playground.

“Wow. I'm sorry about that.”

“Hey...it’s fine. I like how they’re protective of you. So... I’m _Steve_?”

“Yeah...sorry about that...it’s just that my dad is very into details and if they tell him I'm hanging out with some guy named Sam he’d have your entire life history in the manner of an hour. It’s better if he doesn’t have a trail to follow.”

“Wow, he kind of sounds like my dad—very detail oriented.”

“My dad should’ve been a private investigator instead of a mechanic.”

“Your dad’s a _mechanic_?” He arched his eyebrows.

“Yeah.”

“Huh...that’s a weird coincidence.”

“Your dad too?” I asked and he nodded with a furrowed brow. “Wow, small world…and this is why he travels a lot?”

“Oh no.” Sam shook his head. “He isn’t a mechanic anymore.”

“What does he do now?”

Sam tensed. His brow was furrowed again, and you could tell that he was internally struggling with something. I felt like I was barraging him with too many comments or questions.

“Sorry...I don’t mean to pry.”

“It’s fine...I mean it’s not as though you haven’t shared a lot about your own life.”

“I don’t normally share details about my life with people I just met. You’re definitely the exception but I don’t want you to think you’re obligated to tell me anything.”

“I don’t feel obligated. It’s just the first time I’ve ever wanted to tell someone anything real about myself.”

“Why all the secrecy about your life? Are you in danger or something?”

“It depends on the job I guess but the truth is...” He paused. “It’s not something you brag to your friends about.”

“Why? It can’t be that bad.” I noticed his lips go into a straight line. I put my hand over his. “You can tell me anything. I won’t judge.” He smiled slightly.

“Pest control.” He replied finally.

“Pest control? What’s so shameful about that? It’s a respectable living...but I do get why you’re on the road a lot.”

“Yeah...my dad is one of the best and he gets calls from all over. He takes the jobs nobody wants.”

“Explains a bit about your brother.” I replied.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s tough. I could tell just by looking at him.”

“Yup.” He replied stiffly.

“You have a strength of a different kind.” I replied. “You may not be as brash but you’re definitely not someone I’d count out.”

“You’re unusually perceptive.”

“I am but I rarely voice it.”

“Why? I think it’s a great way to be.”

“Because people tend to fear what they don’t understand.”

“How right you are.” He replied.

We sat there for another hour while the twins played and we talked about everything from school subjects, sports our favourite pastimes and music. I decided to steer clear of any family talk since it was a sore subject for both of us. From an outsider’s point of view, it looked like we were dating. We sat close to each other and after a while he even reached over and grabbed my hand. It was a pleasant surprise. My stomach did flip flops and I smiled.

“This is nice.” He said quietly as he looked down at our hands.

“Yes it is.”

“I’ve never had a girlfriend before.” Wow. That was out of the blue. I looked up at him.

“Really?”

“Never had the chance to but more than that I never met anyone I was interested in.”

“Me either.”

“So this is a first for you?” He slightly squeezed my hand.

“Yeah.”

“Me too.” He replied.

“My dad would probably freak if he found out.”

“Mine too but for different reasons.”

“Because you don’t stick around too long in one place.” I commented.

“Yeah.”

“Is this even a good idea?” I asked.

“Probably not but it’s the first time in a long time that I’ve felt happy.” He admitted.

“Me too.” I paused. “So what do we do?”

“Not sure. I just know that I don’t want to stop seeing you.”

“Me too.”

“But I can’t tell my brother.”

“And I can’t tell my dad.” A phone began ringing.

“Ah crap.” He muttered and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a cell phone, flipped it open and answered it. “Dean.” He stood up and stepped away a couple of feet. “Out for a walk, getting some fresh air, why?” He listened and frowned. “Okay, got it.” He closed the cell and put it back in his pocket.

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s at the library and of course, I'm not there.”

“Keeps tabs on you?”

“No...he needs help with some research.”

“Research?” I arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah...some of the critters they come across are dangerous, so we have to find out their weaknesses.”

“Makes sense.” I stood up. “I guess you have to go now.”

“Yeah.” He replied glumly. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.” I nodded.

He looked like he wanted to say more but he just nodded with a slight smile. He gave me a quick hug, pulled away, smiled at me and then walked away. I stared after him until he was out of sight.

“Where did Steve go?” Ariel asked and looked around.

“He had to go home.”

“Oh.” She looked up at me. “Are we going home too?”

“Soon.” I replied.

“I'm not going to tell Dad.”

“Excuse me?”

“About Steve.”

“Um...”

“I think he worries too much about us and I think he’d freak out if he knew you had a boyfriend.” Wow.

“Oh...well. I don’t want you to think that you have to keep things from Dad.”

“I don’t but I just have a feeling that he shouldn’t know about this.” O-kay. “I also told Andrew not to tell or I’d tell Dad that he stole some of his work tools.”

“He’s the reason they’re missing? Dad was freaking out.”

“I know which I is why told Andrew if he told Dad about Steve, I’d rat him out about the tools.” Wow.

“And the reason you didn’t tell me you knew about that until now?”

“Leverage.” Holy crap. “I knew it would come handy someday.” My kid sister, the 8-year-old extortionist! 

“Um...thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled brightly. “I'm going to play for a bit more.”  
“20 minutes.” I said. “And then we’re leaving.”

“Okay.”

After the park, I took the twins home, made sure they had baths and got ready for bed. As a rule, on the nights when Dad was working late, I let them stay awake in their room until he was back to tuck them in and say goodnight. True to her word neither one of them said a word to Dad about Sam. Part of me felt bad for being secretive but there were just some things I couldn’t talk to him about and dating was one of them. I just wasn’t ready to go down that road. I decided that maybe after Sam left town in a few weeks, I could tell him that I was starting to become interested in boys and that I might occasionally hang out with them, then it would ease him into the idea of me growing up. It’s not as though he treated me like a kid. He gave me more responsibility than any 14-year-old should have but that didn’t mean he wanted me to start dating.


	2. First Love

Later on, after I finished my homework, and after Dad finished eating the dinner I set aside for him, I began to wash the dishes.

“You okay honey?” Dad stared at me while I washed the same dish for about 5 minutes.

“I kind of have something on my mind.”

“Anything I can help with?”

“I'm not sure how to talk to you about it.” I replied quietly as I rinsed the dish and put it in the tray to dry.

He walked over, picked up a dishcloth and began drying the dishes. I smiled slightly.

“Is it something I should know?”

“Yes.”

“You can talk to me about anything. You know that.”

“I know but you have a lot on your plate, and I don’t want to add to it.” I lowered my eyes. He put the cloth down.

“Look at me.” He said tenderly. I hesitantly looked up at him. “Don’t worry about me. If you have a problem, I’ll always have time to help you with it, got it?” I nodded. “Now what’s up?”

“You seem to be working a lot of overtime and... well... it’s affecting the twins.”

“Is it only affecting them?” He looked down into my eyes. I bit my lower lip.

“No. I miss you.” I replied quietly. He gave me a hug and held on for a moment before pulling away.

“I know it’s hard right now with everything that’s happened but don’t doubt that I love you and the twins.”

“You’re not avoiding us?” I asked and he frowned.

“No, why would you think that?”

“I just thought maybe we reminded you too much of Mom.” He winced at the thought of her.

“No, it’s not that but for the record you’re more like your mom than the twins.”

“Is that a good thing?” I asked sheepishly.  
“That’s a very good thing.”

“But you never talk about her.”

“It hurts too much.”

“Okay.” I nodded once.

“It doesn’t mean that I don’t love her or miss her every day, because I do.”

“Me too.”

“I know honey.” He hugged me again and I held onto him for a few minutes before letting go.

“Can I ask you something else?”

“Sure.”  
“Are you afraid that something is going to happen to me?” 

He didn’t answer right away. He looked at me with a pained expression on his face as he thought about Mom and then he sighed.

“I am worried about you.” He said quietly.

“Is that why you have me in all that survival and martial arts training?”

“That’s part of it.”

“What’s the rest of it?”

“The world is getting darker by the hour and I want to make sure that you have the means to protect yourself.”

“But Mom died in a _house fire_.” I replied and he winced again. “And Mystic Falls is boring, nothing exciting really ever happens here.”

“I know.”

“What does that have to do with protecting myself?”

“I just want you to be prepared for any possible scenario. You already know about fire safety, but the world is full of psychos and it wouldn’t hurt to be ready if someone tried to attack you.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way Dad but you seem a bit paranoid. Our town is a little too apple pie for that isn’t it?”

“I hope so but still it pays to be cautious.”

“I guess.”

I finished washing the dishes and stacked them to drip dry. I emptied the sink and then wiped the counter before I realized he was still looking at me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him.

“Is there anything else you want to talk about?” _Uh-oh._

“Not really, why?”

“When you said you weren’t sure how to talk to me about something, I thought it might be about boys.”

“Oh.” Suddenly my throat lost all its moisture and I quickly poured myself a glass of water.

“Is that something we should talk about?” _No, please no._

“I don’t think so.” I took a few quick sips of water.

“Are you interested in anyone?” _Ah damn it._

“I’ve noticed a couple of boys but that’s about it.” I replied and he tensed. “Is that something you want me to talk to you about?”

“Yes.” He replied stiffly. “If you’re considering dating one of them, I’d like to meet him.”

“Well...you’re safe for now.” I replied and put my glass in the sink after I gulped back the rest of the water.

“Okay...good. Well keep me posted.”

“No offense Dad but if I do become interested in someone you think I want to bring him back here so you can scare the living daylights out of him?” He tried to hide a smile.

“I’d be on my best behaviour.”

“Right, after you show him your gun collection and make sure he knows that you’re a proficient fighter.”

“If you bring the _right_ guy home, I won’t have to do that.”

“How will you know if he’s the right guy?”

“You’re not the only one who gets a vibe about people besides I know how boys think.”

“And I'm done talking about this right _now_.” I replied and promptly left the kitchen.

“Keep me in the loop.” He called down the hall.

“Yup, uh-huh.” I replied and went upstairs to have a shower.

Here I was trying to avoid talking to my dad about boys and then he had to go and bring up the subject. I tried to put it out of my mind as I had a shower. When I finished, I put on my pyjamas and got ready for bed. The phone rang and I answered it before Dad had a chance to pick it up.

“Hello?”

“It’s me.” Elena said. “Bonnie’s here too.”

“Hey Nina.” Bonnie said.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“What did you do tonight?” Elena asked but right then I heard someone pick up the other phone.

“It’s for me Dad.”

“Oh...sorry.” Click. I waited a second before I continued.

“First of all, you have to keep this on the down low.” I whispered. “I don’t want my Dad to know.”

“Why not?” Elena asked. “Sam’s nice.”

“No... she’s right.” Bonnie interrupted. “If he’s not going to be around for every long it might not be a good idea to open that can of worms.” Thank you, Bonnie!

“Exactly.”

“So, where were you?” Elena pressed. “We tried calling a few times.”

“I was at the park with the twins.”

“Really?” She sounded happy.

“Did Sam meet you there?” Bonnie asked.

“Yes, and we hung out for a while.”

“You like him.” Elena commented.

“A lot, I can tell.” Bonnie added.

“He’s pretty great.” I replied.

“What do the twins think about him?” Bonnie asked.

“They like him.”

“Then he’s a keeper.” She replied.

“I’ll say...kids are the biggest bullshit detectors on the planet.” Elena replied.

“So... what happens now?” Bonnie asked.

“We’re going to see how it goes.”

“You going to stay in touch after he leaves?” Elena asked.

“I want to, but we haven’t really talked about it yet.”

“I think you should just make the most of the time you have.” Bonnie replied.

“I agree.” Elena said.

“No argument there.” I said.

“So, am I to assume that you’re going to be joined at the hip until he leaves?” Bonnie asked.

“I won’t ignore you, believe me.”

“I know, it’s just that you don’t have much time with him, so I won’t be upset if I don’t see you as much.”

“I'm with Bonnie.” Elena interjected. “If it was me, I’d spend every moment I could with him before he leaves.”

“So, you won’t be mad?” I asked nervously.

“Nope.” Elena replied.

“No—God knows you deserve some happiness with everything you’ve been through.” Bonnie commented.

“Thanks.” I answered. “But I should get going. I have to get up early to get the twins ready for school.”

“Later Nina.” Bonnie replied.

“See you tomorrow.” Elena replied before they ended the call.

I set my alarm, shut off the lights and crawled into bed underneath the covers. The entire night I kept having the same dream over and over… Sam and I were talking outside the school on our lunch break and he just leaned over and kissed me without any notice. I never wanted the dream to end and when I woke up the next day I had a great big smile on my face when I thought about seeing him.

Bonnie and Elena usually met me on the way to school after I dropped off the twins. When we approached the main sidewalk and they spotted Sam at the front entrance they smirked at me and then walked ahead, intent on giving me some time with him. He smiled when he saw me.

“How did your research go?” I asked.

“Okay.”

“Did they find what they needed?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“How was the rest of your night?”

“My sister blackmailed my brother to not tell our dad about you.”

“Really?” He smiled. “Wow and she’s only 8.”

“I know. The kid should go into politics or something.” I joked and he laughed as we walked inside.

We had some interesting glances as we walked by but everyone was mainly curious about Sam. I again offered to share my locker since we had the same classes, but he preferred to bring his backpack with him. I shrugged it off and thought nothing of it as we walked to our first class. When we walked inside we immediately noticed that Elena had taken Sam’s seat from the day before and left hers for him. He arched his eyebrow and she winked at us. He smiled, sat down, and pulled out his books and a pen.

“If you can’t tell already, we think it’s a good idea that you’re hanging out with Nina.” Bonnie whispered to him.

“Uh...thanks.” He replied and then smiled at me.

“Trying to stay off the radar...remember?” I whispered.

“Relax.” Bonnie replied. “Your dad’s not going to find out.” Sam arched an eyebrow and I smiled nervously.

When we finished that class and walked to our next one we figured out rather quickly that Elena had switched her seat in every class so that Sam could sit next to me. He wasn’t sure what to make of it but it definitely drew the attention of Matt and Tyler who couldn’t stop looking over at us.

In between classes we compared notes and it became obvious to me that Sam was not only a mathematical genius, but he seemed to easily grasp the curriculum in each class. At lunch time, we sat outside, and I looked up at him curiously.

“Have you studied the same curriculum at a different school?” I asked curiously.

“No, why?” He seemed confused.

“Because you’re kind of a genius.” I replied and he laughed. “No really...you make me look like a slacker.”

“I pick things up easily but you’re not giving yourself enough credit. You are definitely ahead of the class in this school.”

“Have you thought about what college or university you want to go to?” I asked.

“Not really. I don’t think that’s in the cards for me.” He replied and I looked up at him with a frown.

“You’re kidding right?” I looked at him like he was nuts.

“No...” He replied in shock. “Why?”

“Not to sound like a guidance counselor or anything but you have more potential than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Seriously?” Did he honestly not know how brilliant he was?

“Definitely.” I answered. “For someone so intelligent I'm surprised you never considered it.”

“Huh.” He replied, in shock again, and I contemplated why he didn’t see his own potential.

“Surely your dad and brother know this.” I commented.

“Maybe…I don’t know. They kind of expect me to follow in their footsteps and join the family business.”

“Is that what _you_ want to do?” I asked. He paused for a moment and thought about it before answering.

“Nobody’s ever asked me that before.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Well someone should.” I replied. “So…is it what you want to do with your life?”

“No.” He replied immediately.

“What do _you_ want?”

“I want a different future.”

“What kind of future?” I asked.

“Anything other than pest control.” He was certain about that.

“Then go after it.”

“I kind of have a responsibility to my family.” He replied doubtfully.

“Yeah, I guess I know what you mean.” I thought about Arielle and Andrew. “But if you’re not happy, what’s the point?”

“What about you?” He asked, changing the subject. “Do you have any college or university plans?”

“Sort of.”

“Well...?” He asked, motioning for me to tell him.

“I was thinking about Stanford.”

“Wow. Nice.” He smiled.

“I know...it’s a bit much, right?” I replied.

“No. Actually I think that’s perfect for you. I can see you there.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” He said. “You would have no problem fitting in.”

“Thanks.” I replied quietly. “For the record…you would have no problem fitting in at Stanford either.”  
“Really?” He asked doubtfully.

“Really.” I answered. “Without a doubt.”

He seemed genuinely affected by my comment and without a warning he leaned over and gently grazed his lips against mine, just like he did in the dream. I froze in place. When I didn’t respond he almost looked panicked.

“Was that okay?” He asked nervously.

“Uh... yeah... I’m just kind of surprised.”

“Can I do it again?” He asked with those damn puppy dog eyes that bore into mine. Boy they did me in.

“S-ure.” I replied nervously.

“Are you going to kiss me back this time?” He smirked.

“Um...okay.”

He leaned toward me again and this time when I felt his lips against mine I returned the kiss. It only lasted a moment, but it was incredible. When we pulled away he wasn’t even two inches away from my face.

“I'm going to consider that our first kiss. What about you?” He grinned.

“Yeah, for sure.” I replied with a dizzied smile.

He put an arm around me, and I leaned against him as he changed the subject entirely and suddenly talked about the different colleges or universities he expressed an interest in. Oddly enough though, Stanford was also his first choice.

“Remember when I asked you if you believed in destiny?” I asked curiously.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“Do you think if I hadn’t been the only one in the office yesterday morning that we’d still be sitting here right now?”

“I think so.” He replied confidently.

“Really?”

“Yes. I’ve listened to your answers in class and I'm sure that sooner or later I would’ve come up to you and talked to you about some of the subjects we’re studying.”

“Why?”

“It’s kind of freaky just how much we’re alike and all we have in common.”  
“It is but at the same time it’s nice not being the only geek around here.”

“It helps having someone else to bond with for a change.”

“So this is a first?” I asked.

“Definitely.” He answered. “And if Dean or my dad really knew—they’d be pissed.”

“That sucks. You think they’d be happy that you’re happy and you met someone you get along with.”

“They would say it creates complications.” He replied.

“Creating healthy relationships with people doesn’t complicate anything; it adds quality to your life.”

“With what we face from town to town…they would disagree.”

“For what it’s worth, I'm sorry.” I replied. “That can get lonely.”

“I'm not lonely now.” He smiled at me.

“Neither am I.” I replied.

I liked the way Sam made me feel. It was new and unexpected, but I finally felt like I wasn’t such an outcast, at least not near him. Despite how quickly things fell into place I knew, deep inside my heart, that we had a very unique bond and I never wanted it to end.

* * *

Thankfully, Sam ended up staying longer than expected since his dad and Dean, picked up another job in the area. At Sam’s insistence, I steered clear of running into Dean and I certainly wasn’t going to meet his dad. I also had a strange feeling to keep him from meeting my dad. We both thought it was best to avoid letting that part of our life intersect or it could create complications that we weren’t ready to deal with. We somehow managed to find a way to juggle everything without interrupting our regular habits.

For the next several weeks we went through our normal routines in front of our families but when the opportunities arose we spent as much time together as possible. He met me at the park after dinner when I had the twins and a few times when my dad was home early I told him I was going to Bonnie’s or Elena’s when in fact I went out to meet Sam. We would see a movie or go to the park or some place that gave us a bit of privacy. Most of the time all we did was talk but there were a few times when he would plant a kiss on my lips, and I would get caught up in the moment. It didn’t go any farther than that though. After we kissed for a short while I would just lean against him and sit quietly, and he would sigh happily. Everything seemed perfect.

Sam seemed to fit in well with our little group. Tyler had begun dating Matt’s sister, Vicki, and although Matt wasn’t necessarily impressed with that he was easily distracted by Elena who spent a lot of time with him. Bonnie seemed to be going through something, but she kept it to herself. All we knew is that she began visiting her grandmother a lot more and then would come back from the visit refreshed and more at ease. I was going to ask her about it, but I kept getting a gut feeling that I should just wait for her to open up and let us know what was going on. I knew if it was serious she wouldn’t hesitate to let us know. Meanwhile, everything was quiet at home. Dad wasn’t working as many late shifts as he did previously, and it gave me some free time for myself which I chose to spend with Sam. The more time we hung out the more I felt he wasn’t just some guy passing through town. He became quite important to me and I didn’t want to let him go. As each day passed I realized that I was falling for him and I wasn’t sure how to process it because every day we kept getting closer to _the_ day when he would leave. There was no set time frame for his departure only that he didn’t have much time left. It made me sad to think about it. I wanted to find a way to make things work. If we couldn’t see each other all the time after he left we could stay in touch by phone or email at least. I could also try to visit him if he ended up going somewhere that wasn’t too far away. It seemed like a long shot, but I didn’t want to give up on us. He was the first guy I had ever cared about, and it seemed like such a waste to throw away something that made me feel alive. By all accounts it appeared that Sam felt the same way. He wasn’t worried about showing his affection for me, at least not at school. He was bit more cautious after school because he was paranoid about Dean showing up out of the blue but even then when it seemed like the coast was clear he would relax a bit, hold my hand, or put an arm around my shoulders. He didn’t kiss me much when we were in front of my friends, but he didn’t have a problem when we were alone. He was surprisingly respectful of boundaries and I never had to worry about him pushing the envelope. As much as I cared about him I didn’t want to rush things on that front. We were still pretty young, and I wasn’t ready for that next step, especially if he wouldn’t be in the picture for long or as often. I wondered if he felt the same way or had the same thoughts. If he did he never mentioned it. He did, however, mention more than once that Dean had a tendency to hook up with different women all the time. He didn’t elaborate, thankfully, but it was clear he didn’t approve of Dean’s behaviour. It wasn’t hard to figure out just how different they were from each other. Sam was kind, attentive, empathetic, and sweet but from what I saw that first day and everything Sam told me, Dean was hotheaded, arrogant, abrupt, and a bit of a player. They couldn’t have been more different. Even their appearances varied. Although they were both tall their faces looked nothing alike. They both had green eyes but that’s where the similarities ended, and it was no wonder why Sam never felt like he fit in.

I mused all of this while we walked toward the park after watching a movie. I was back at square one thinking about how I was going to miss him when he was gone, and I was close to feeling sad again.

“You’re quiet.” He replied.

“We don’t have much time left, do we?” I asked and he stopped walking. He lowered his eyes.

“I'm trying not to think about it.”

“Well we kind of have to, don’t we?”

“No. We don’t.” He replied firmly. _Excuse me?_

“Why is that now?” My eyes narrowed.

“I just want to enjoy the time we have left. If I think about the fact I have to leave soon I’ll just get upset.”

“We can’t just pretend it’s not going to happen.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He replied stiffly and began walking again. I grabbed his arm.

“We have to talk about it because it’s inevitable.”

“No. Just let it go.” That pissed me off.

“Well I'm not going to.” I replied annoyed.

“Then we’re done here.”  
“Excuse me?” I frowned at him and crossed my arms.

“I'm not going to talk about this anymore.” Wow. That hurt.

He walked away in a huff but instead of following him I didn’t move. A tear fell down my cheek and I wiped it away just before I walked in the opposite direction toward my house. After a moment, I picked up the pace and ran back. When I got to the front yard, I caught my breath and slowly walked up the steps to the front porch. I sat down on the top step and wrapped my arms around my knees. A few tears fell down my cheeks and I quickly wiped them away. When I felt like I wouldn’t arouse my dad’s suspicion I finally opened the front door and went inside. The clock read 10:00 pm and he was asleep on the couch with the TV on. I locked up the house, turned the TV off, put a blanket over him, shut the lights off, and quietly walked upstairs. I got ready for bed and when I was under the covers I cried myself to sleep. All I dreamt about was the look on Sam’s face when he walked away from me after our argument.

When I woke up the next morning my heart ached at the thought of our fight. It wasn’t how I wanted to spend our last few moments. I slowly got the twins and myself ready for school.

“What’s wrong Nina?” Arielle asked while she ate a spoonful of cereal.

“Nothing. I'm just tired.”

“You look sad.” Andrew commented and that got my dad’s attention.

“No.” I shook my head. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Nightmares?” Dad asked.

“Sort of.” I replied.

“What about?” Arielle asked.

“Nothing major.” I replied. “Just school stuff.”

“Is everything okay?” Dad asked.

“Oh yeah.” I nodded. “You know me...I put so much pressure on myself when it comes to schoolwork.”

“You need to take it in stride.” He replied with a frown.

“I'm trying.” I forced a smile.

“I can take the twins to school this morning and Marjorie can get them afterward.” He said.

“No it’s okay Dad.”

“It wasn’t a suggestion.” He replied.

“Oh…okay.” I mumbled.

I guess that was that. Marjorie was our neighbour who made it clear to Dad that if we needed someone to watch the twins she would gladly help. I nodded once at him and when I was finished breakfast I grabbed my backpack, my coat, and after saying goodbye, I walked out the door. I didn’t hurry to school like I did most mornings. I took my time because I wasn’t looking forward to the impending showdown with Sam.

Elena and Bonnie met me on the way, but they could tell something was wrong.

“You’re unusually quiet today.” Elena remarked.

“Elena, don’t.” Bonnie shook her head.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Elena stared at me.

“She had a rough night, can’t you tell?” Bonnie replied. I stopped walking and they stared at me.

“Sam and I got into a fight, but I don’t want to talk about it okay?” I stated firmly and they nodded.

“Seriously?” Elena was stunned. “I can’t imagine the two of you ever fighting over anything. You’re nauseatingly compatible and cute.”

“All couples argue at some point.” Bonnie interrupted. “Nobody’s perfect.”

“What did you fight about?” Elena asked and I frowned. “Okay—never mind.”

We resumed walking but this time in silence. When we walked up the sidewalk toward the front entrance of the school Sam was there, pacing back and forth. We stopped walking the second we noticed him.

“Oh boy.” I mumbled.

“You two should work this out.” Elena said.

“Uh-huh.” I nodded.

“We’ll see you later.” Bonnie whispered and pulled Elena away before she could say anything else.

The second Sam saw me he motioned me to follow him away from the doors so nobody would hear. I sighed and followed him until we were out of earshot.

“Hey.” He said in a quiet voice.

“Hi.” I replied stiffly and crossed my arms.

“I'm sorry about last night. I was a bit of a jerk.”

“A bit? _No_... you were a great big jerk.”

“Okay, you’re right...I was a great big jerk.”

“We both knew this was coming...I just didn’t think you’d brush me off.”

“I'm not brushing you off—I just hate the idea of leaving.”

“You act like you’re the only one—but it affects me too you know.”

“I know and I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you…” He paused.

“Tell me what?” I asked and he swallowed hard.

“We’re leaving tonight.” He blurted finally.

“What?” My eyes bulged. “I thought you’d at least give me some kind of notice!” He didn’t reply. “How long have you known?” He didn’t answer. “Sam??”

“A few days now.” He answered with a guilty expression.

“What the hell! And when were you going to tell me this?” He didn’t reply. “You’re kidding right? You were just going to leave without saying goodbye?”

“I don’t want to say goodbye!” He raised his voice. “Goodbye is just another way of saying _have a nice life; I’ll never see you again_.”

“No it’s not. It’s parting on good terms because you expect to see that person again.”

“I can’t promise you that.” He replied grudgingly. _Ouch_. I bit my lower lip.

“Like ever?” My eyes welled up.

“No.” He sighed unhappily.

“Wow. Okay...I knew you were on the road all the time, but I sure didn’t think you’d just ditch me when it was time to go.”

“That’s not what I'm doing.”

“What do you call it?”

“I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Bullshit! You didn’t want to hurt _yourself_! It’s easier to leave someone when you don’t have to see the expression on their face.”

“Do you think I want to go? It’s the last thing I want to do but I don’t have a choice.”

“I get that you have family obligations, believe me, of all people I understand but I thought maybe we could stay in touch, exchange email addresses or something.”

“Why? As a constant reminder that we can’t be together?”

“So that’s it. You’re never coming back? This was just an eight-week fling or distraction or whatever?”

“That’s not what it was to me and you know it.”

“You have a hell of a way of showing it.” I turned around to walk away.

“Nina...wait.” He called after me.

“Save it...I’ll spare you the goodbye. _Have a nice life_.” I replied bitterly and ran away from him and into the school.

When I got to my locker Elena and Bonnie were waiting for me.

“Apparently they’re leaving tonight.” I mumbled dejectedly.

“What?” Elena was surprised. “That’s not much notice!”

“He’s known for three days.” I replied and Bonnie put a hand on my shoulder.

“He cares about you...he just didn’t know how to tell you.” She said and I shook my head.

“He wasn’t going to say goodbye. I think that sums up how much he cares about me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Elena frowned but Bonnie shook her head.

“That’s crap and you know it.” Bonnie replied. “He’s just trying to keep it together because that’s what guys do.”

“I'm done talking about this.” I replied and closed my locker.

“So he’s not even coming to school today?” Elena asked.

“Nope.” I replied and stormed off.

“Wow. What a jerk.” Elena commented.

“No…” Bonnie shook her head as she watched me walk away. “There’s more to this...”

“Like what?” Elena asked.

“I'm not sure but I know he doesn’t want to leave, and he definitely doesn’t want to break things off.”

“How do you know?” Elena asked.

“Gut feeling.” Bonnie answered.

“Like your usual gut feelings? You know—the ones that are never wrong?” Elena asked.

“Yes.” Bonnie answered.

The day drudged on painfully slow and it was all I could do to not break down and cry. Elena sat in Sam’s spot and I faced the front or stared down at my books the entire time for every single class. I didn’t speak between classes and when lunch rolled around I sat by myself in the corner looking out the window and doodling on my notepad. I knew this day was coming but I was totally unprepared for it. I didn’t expect Sam to act so cold but I understood that’s what guys did; they close up when they face something that hurts them. I just wasn’t prepared to get my heart slammed by it. I cared about him, a lot, and I thought we were destined to be together one way or another. I guess my gut was wrong, for once. I didn’t pay much attention during the rest of the classes even if I did take notes. I was so distracted by the fact I wasn’t going to see Sam again that all I felt like doing was crying and I couldn’t let the floodgates open in school.

When the final bell rang I grabbed my books and walked to my locker.

“Do you want to hang out?” Bonnie asked.

“No.” I replied sadly. “But thanks.”

“Give us a call if you need anything.” Elena offered.

“Uh-huh.” I replied as I stared into the locker.

I stood there in silence and then looked at my locker door. Sam and I had gone to one of those photo booths and had pictures of us taken. He had a set in his wallet while I took the other one and put it in my locker so I could see them every day. Now it served as a painful reminder of my broken heart. I was about to take them down, but I got a strange feeling that I should just leave them alone. I sighed, gathered my things, and closed the locker door, leaving the pictures intact. Most of the students were on their way out of the building and I was one of the few who was last to leave. When I walked out of the school and looked ahead I stopped in my tracks. Sam was off in the distance staring at me while the other students walked around him.

My heart jumped for joy at seeing him again. I wanted to be pissed but I just couldn’t stay angry with him. I wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily though.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought you had to leave.”

“I can’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“I thought you don’t do goodbyes?” I rolled my eyes.  
“I don’t...but...” He stammered.

“But what?” I asked impatiently.

“I think I love you...” He mumbled quietly and my eyes bulged.

“What?” My annoyance melted away instantly.

“You heard me.” He said. “I’m sorry I was an ass but I never felt this way before. I’m not used to befriending anyone or forming ties so this caught me way off guard. The idea of leaving and never seeing you again—well it hurt and I didn’t handle it properly. I thought a lot about this today and I don’t want to let you go. I think we have a unique bond and I'm going to do my best to come back and see you again.”

Music to my ears. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big hug, he returned it immediately.

“I love you too.” I whispered in his ear.

He pulled away for a moment, put his hand on the side of my face and gave me a great big kiss. Time stood still and we forgot about everything and everyone around us. When we finally pulled away he stared down into my eyes.

“I’ll miss you every day.” He said quietly.

“Me too.”

“I’ll do my best to stay in touch. It might not be all the time, but you will hear from me again.”

“I should give you my email address.”

“Bonnie already gave it to me.” What?

“When?” I asked.

“Right before you walked out of the school.” Wow. “She had a feeling that I’d want it.”

“She’s pretty cool like that.”

“I like her and Elena. They’re good friends.”

“They are.” We stood there for a moment and he looked at his watch. “You have to go, don’t you?”

“I don’t want to.” He replied.

“I know but you have to.” He put a hand on the side of my face.

“I will see you again.” He replied.

“You better.” I smiled.

He gave me a quick peck on the lips and then walked in the opposite direction without looking back. You couldn’t ask for a better goodbye than that.

I stood there for a few minutes watching him walk away until he was gone. That’s when the tears started to fall. They didn’t stop until I picked up the twins from Marjorie’s. She could tell something was wrong, but she didn’t press the issue. When I got the twins inside the house and they started their homework I went upstairs to cry. I did that off and on for about an hour but then I cleaned myself up and came back downstairs. I was hit with the savory scent of takeout when I walked into the hall. I walked into the kitchen and Dad was pulling Chinese food out of a bag.

“I figured it’s been a while since we had dinner together.” He smiled.

“Thanks.”

“Rough day?” He noticed my eyes.

“Yes.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“No.” I replied. “But thanks.” He nodded and called the twins in to set the table.

I had no appetite. I picked at my food while my dad and the twins noticed but didn’t say a word. It looked like they wanted to comment but Dad would look over at them, shake his head, and they would look down at their plates. When they were finished eating he motioned for them to put their plates in the sink and asked them to go upstairs. Before they left the room they both gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug. It warmed my wounded heart. They walked upstairs and when my dad was convinced they were in their rooms he took a seat at the table.

“Now do you want to tell me what’s really going on?” He asked gently.

“Not really.”

“You’re not upset about school.” It wasn’t a question. “It’s about a boy, isn’t it?” I couldn’t help the tears that fell.

“How can you tell?” I asked.

“You’re not the only one who can read people.”

“Why aren’t you angry with me for lying to you?”

“Did you do something that warrants me being angry?” He asked curiously.

“No.”

“Then we’ll call it even since you obviously have a broken heart.”

“Don’t be mad at him.”

“I don’t even know who _him_ is.” He replied.

“We weren’t together for very long.”

“Did he break up with you?”

“No...it wasn’t like that.”

“Then tell me why I shouldn’t be pissed at the boy who broke my kid’s heart.”

“He was an exchange student from England.” _Wow...way to lie under pressure._

“Damn Englishmen.” He muttered.

“He was really sweet Dad and neither of us planned to like each other, it just happened. We both knew it was temporary.”

“And he’s never coming back?”

“I don’t know but it doesn’t look good.” He put a hand on my arm.

“I'm sorry honey. First crushes are hard.” It was more than just a crush, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

“True.” I replied quietly.

“Why don’t you go on up to your room, I’ll clean up.” I nodded once and stood up.

He gave me a great big hug and then I walked upstairs to my room and closed the door behind me. I didn’t even bother turning the light on. I lied on the bed fully clothed and cried myself to sleep. That night all I dreamed about was the fabulous goodbye kiss Sam gave me and his promise to see me again. Who the hell knew how long that would take?


	3. Email Confessions

I didn’t expect to hear from Sam for a while. I figured he would be busy with his dad and Dean and it would be hard to find some alone time to write but after that first week I had an email from him. At first I didn’t know it was him because it was under an alias named Johnny Blaze, the widely known anti-hero in the Marvel comics Ghost Rider series. It wasn’t until I read the subject line: _“told you I’d stay in touch”_ that I realized it was really him.

_“It feels weird not to see you every day. I didn’t realize it when I was there, but you provided a much-needed reprieve from the tedium of our travels. You’d think it would be great to go to a new city all the time, but the truth is it gets old living out of a duffel bag or a suitcase and even when we do go to a new town it’s not like I can sight see or anything. I end up spending most of my time in school, at the library or in the motel room. Dean has been keeping an eye on me. He could tell that I was different after I met you--he just didn’t know why. I haven’t told either one of them because I just think they’ll complicate things, but they know something is up. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said with respect to college or university. Maybe I’ll work up the courage one day to actually stand up to my dad and tell him that I'm not joining the family business but until then I have to do my part, as much as it grates my nerves. Don’t get me wrong. I love my dad and Dean, but I want to live my own life. I didn’t tell you, but I used to play soccer and I was pretty good at it too. Our team even won a championship but since then… I haven’t been anywhere long enough to join a team, regardless of the sport. I'm not sure why it matters so much to me now, but I guess after meeting you I realized what I was missing and I want some kind of normalcy. When I was with you I didn’t feel like an outsider or a freak, and I felt like I was important and that I actually mattered. I finally fit in somewhere and even though your friends didn’t know me they accepted me as a part of their group. That meant more than I could ever say. Thanks for being a highlight of my otherwise dark life._

_~ Sam”_

His email affected me greatly. It revealed the depth of his isolation, and the loneliness he felt despite being with his dad and brother. I couldn’t understand why he felt like a freak. He seemed perfectly normal to me but… we were two peas in a pod and had a lot of similar interests. Despite having amazing friends, I never felt like I fit in anywhere either. That was something we had in common.

Within minutes of reading his email I sent my own.

_“I almost didn’t notice your email because it ended up in my spam folder. Johnny Blaze? Nice. The anti-hero who fights against evil and Satan? I like it and I think it suits you. When I was with you I felt safe and comfortable which was a welcome change since most of the time that is not the case. Since my mom died it felt like we had a dark cloud looming over our heads. I was used to putting a smile on my face for so long that I didn’t realize just how empty and unhappy I was until I met you. It sucks that we might not see each other for a while but I am thankful for the time we had. As for college... I don’t think you should give up on your dreams. I'm not saying that you should cut off ties with your family because you do need them, but it doesn’t mean they must rule your life. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a sense of normalcy especially when you’ve been through some dark things. I think we’re used to having a void in our lives to the point that when we come across something special it frightens us. We’ve become comfortable in our chaos but that doesn’t mean we should stay there._

_I can handle the fact that I may not see or hear from you often but as long as you’re still in the picture then I'm here for you. I'm not the type of person to go from one person to another. I was perfectly fine not liking anyone until you came along but I have no regrets. By the way… of course, you’re important and you matter. I'm not sure why you’re so hard on yourself. I'm glad you came into my life; you became the highlight of my every day._

_~Nina”_

I sent it right away and then began my homework. I decided not to leave my email open because I would be distracted staring at it the rest of the night just to see if he had a chance to respond. I knew better than that and I would drive myself nuts if I expected him to contact me all the time. I resolved to go about my regular routines like I did before I met him, that way I wouldn’t be disappointed if there were long gaps between each time we communicated.

So that’s what I did. I missed him a lot, but I didn’t retreat into a shell or escape from reality. I lived my life like I always did and surprisingly enough it didn’t make things worse, but it helped. I hung out with my friends, as usual, and when they asked me about him I didn’t get into I merely told them that Sam and I were going to stay in touch. They didn’t probe further and for that I was thankful. The more I talked about it the more I missed him, and it was easier if I just let it go instead of focusing on it all the time.

About a week later he replied to my email and it was hard to contain my excitement.

 _“I guess Johnny Blaze is an accurate alias to go by, especially with the things we face on a regular basis.”_ Well that was ominous. “ _But my main reason for choosing it was due to our similarities. It’s uncommon to find girls who like comics or fantasy literature so it was a pleasant surprise finding out that we liked the same things and I knew you’d appreciate the reference. I was kind of thrown off by meeting you too... but I don’t want my absence to hold you back from anything. It’s not like I can really promise you anything and yet… I don’t want to shrug this off. We’re similar in that I wasn’t looking to meet anyone. To me it seemed pointless to start a relationship with someone you probably wouldn’t see again but you took me by surprise. I'm not really sure what it was that drew me to you that first day, but I just felt like I had to talk to you and I don’t regret it either. Do I know when I’ll be able to see you again? No, but I know that I don’t want to shut you out of my life. It’s not often that you meet someone you can relate to and aren’t afraid to bare your soul with. It’s rare and if we could somehow find a way to make this work I’d like to try. I know it won’t be easy but I'm game if you are.”_

I loved his honesty. I didn’t waste any time replying.

_“I'm definitely game and don’t worry I don’t have any unrealistic expectations. I get what you have to deal with and besides I’ve got a lot on the go with the twins and school. Based on your last response I am concerned with what you’re exposed to. I’d hate to think that you’re in any danger, even if your dad and Dean are there with you. Just curious… wouldn’t it be easier to chat by text messages or instant messaging rather than email?”_

Once I sent it I didn’t log off like I normally would have. I just had a feeling that I should stay online but I decided to do my homework so that I didn’t stare at the screen in a daze. I walked over to the bed and I had just sat down and opened my books when I heard the notification that I had a new email. It couldn’t possibly be him...could it? I walked over to my desk and smiled from ear to ear. It was him and he replied right away.

_“You don’t have to worry about me. Dean and my dad have trained me well; I can handle myself, besides, they’d never expose me to something I wasn’t ready for. I appreciate the concern though and it got me wondering about you. I know you love your family and you have a good heart but I'm worried that you’re taking on too much with the twins and school. I get that you’ve lost your mom and you just want to help but it’s not your responsibility to be their parent. You still need time to deal with what happened and you should still be able to act like a normal teenager.”_ Wow. “ _Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re great and you do an amazing job looking after them but it’s not on you to be the parent—you’re the kid and someone needs to be there for you. As for the chatting, it would be easier but complicated if they found out. I want to spare you the grief.”_

The tone of his email implied this struck a chord with him. It made me wonder about the toll their lifestyle had on him. Granted... his dad was probably doing the best he could to raise two sons on his own, but Sam was 15 and still a kid himself. He shouldn’t have to worry about going from school to school and learning on the road while trying to help his dad or Dean with the family business. That’s hardly a life for someone with so much potential to go further in life. I paused for a moment before replying and then I took my time, making sure the words came out the right way.

_“It sounds like you have firsthand knowledge on the subject. Is that what it’s like for you? Did Dean step in to pick up the slack after your mom died? From the tone of your comments I get the feeling you didn’t have much of a childhood and if that’s the case, I'm very sorry. I want to reassure you that my dad is around a lot more lately and he’s arranged for a steady babysitter if he has to work overtime. You are right though—maybe it’s not my responsibility to be the parent. He didn’t necessarily shove me into that role; I just stepped up to the plate but recently he recognized he needs to be here for us more than he has been in the past and he’s making some changes in order to do that. He has friends who help out and that’s a good thing because we all need someone to confide in, right? As for Dean or your dad finding out, I don’t see why it would complicate things if they find out about us.”_

Again, he replied right away.

_“You hit the nail on the head. I do have experience in that subject. I know Dad loves us and does what he can but I can’t lie and pretend that it hasn’t been rough on us. Dean did step up to bat and I can see how hard it was for him. He didn’t have a childhood. He was stuck raising me and most of the time Dad wasn’t around, so when I saw you and the twins I didn’t want you to go through what we did or lose everything we lost. You deserve more than that, hell we all do but I think you have a better chance than us to have a relatively normal family life. For most people it wouldn’t be a problem for us to stay in touch but with them… they would make it hard and complicate matters. They think it’s a waste of time to build ties with people that we won’t see again, and I can’t make them see otherwise. I know that somehow, some way—we’ll see each other again but they don’t know about us and honestly I don’t want them to spoil this. I want to keep this to myself and have something nice for once.”_

I was almost in tears at the idea of what he went through and what he was still going through. I didn’t know how to respond to his email. He had never been so candid about his family before and it gave me a glimpse of how much inner turmoil he had. He lost his mother, his childhood, and the ability to retain a close relationship with his dad. I wasn’t sure about his relationship with Dean, but I knew he loved him. He may not have agreed with some of the things he did but I could tell he admired him. His dad... I wasn’t sure about. His last thought said it all though, to have something nice for once… wow. He was afraid they would take it away, keep us away from each other.

_“Wow, I feel bad that you lost so much. I wish there was some way that I could make it better. It sounds like this has been festering for a while and I want you to know that I'm here for you. You can tell me anything, regardless what it is. If all you need to do is vent, then vent away. If this is the best way for us to stay in touch, then so be it.”_

Sam wasn’t entirely shocked about my response. He knew he could be himself with me and it was refreshing to feel close to someone who understood the struggle and offered encouragement. He didn’t get a lot of that from his Dad. He knew they tried but the life they lived felt hollow in many ways. He knew their jobs were important, but it left him feeling empty. He needed more than what that lifestyle offered, and I gave him a taste of what it could be like.

_“You are making it better just by being you. You are right, everyone needs a confidant and I finally found someone I can be myself with and not worry about backlash. I just wish I could see you again.”_

Wow. He couldn’t be himself near his dad or brother? Why not? I had so many questions but instead of overwhelming him when it was obvious he was sad, I decided to put that on the back burner.

_“I have faith that we’ll see each other again someday but until then this will have to suffice. If you ever get the chance to call it’s best to do it right after school. I have a couple of hours before dad gets home and the twins are usually doing their homework. It would be nice to hear your voice again. I miss it.”_

Sam smiled. He wanted to call me, but he couldn’t risk his dad or Dean interrupting and somehow finding out. They would give him the third degree and he didn’t want them to rain on his parade.

_“I’ll see what I can do. It’s hard to get privacy sometimes and even then it’s easier to send an email because if they walk into the room I can easily minimize the screen whereas if I was on the phone they could overhear our conversation and that would open a huge can of worms; believe me… you don’t want that but for the record... I prefer to talk to you. I also miss your voice.”_

I didn’t understand what the big deal was if he was friends with someone. Why the hell would they care if he met someone? Why couldn’t he just have something normal in his life? It annoyed me but I didn’t know what his dad or his brother were going through. Pain and loss affect everyone differently, especially guys. They’re not good at expressing their emotions to begin with, let alone if they have been emotionally wounded. I sighed and then replied.

_“I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what you’ve been through or what you’re going through right now with Dean or your dad. I know how hard it was on us when mom passed away, but we got off easy compared to your family. I don’t think you should give up on the idea of having a normal family. Things may have been rough and might still be rough, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. You still have time to make a life for yourself and find real happiness. I know it will probably ruffle everyone’s feathers, but the bottom line is that you’re not going to stay a teen forever and there will come a point when you’re going to have to make a hard decision about the life you want to live. There’s family loyalty and then there’s just manipulation.”_

He was pleasantly surprised by how unusually optimistic I was. For someone who had experienced tremendous loss I still had hope. That was rare and my hope gave him hope. Hope that maybe someday he could go to university, settle down, and have a family. A family that wasn’t on the road 24/7. He didn’t think that his dad or Dean manipulated him, but I made a valid point. It was the life they chose to live; it wasn’t something he wanted to do long term, but it was all he knew.

_“I guess you’re right. It may be comfortable in the chaos, but it doesn’t mean we should stay there, even if we are afraid of the unknown. Your optimism gives me hope.”_

He finally had hope? So, he didn’t have any before? That was depressing. It hurt me to think that he lived with so much inner turmoil. Sure, I went through my own inner hell, but I had friends who had my back. It sounded like he didn’t have anyone and that made me sad.

_“You can’t lose hope, Sam. I know that sometimes life sucks and we can’t make sense of it, but you can’t give up. You must believe there is more, that sometimes the best things in life are on the other side of us pushing through our fears, the obstacles we face, and taking a risk for something better. However grueling that process is, the end result will be worth it.”_

My response floored him. More than that, it lit a tiny ember in his soul—a determination—that eventually he would find a way to break free from what he felt obligated to do and do what was best for him for a change. Maybe when that day came we could face the unknown, together. One thing was certain, he had to find a way to keep me in his life. He was about to write an elaborate reply, but he heard the car door close outside the motel room. He hurriedly typed his response and closed his laptop after sending it.

_“I appreciate your honesty. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I’d write more but I have to go.”_

His dad or brother must have interrupted him. It didn’t matter though. Our emails were a good indication that he was just as invested as I was in trying to make it work between us and it gave me hope. I felt for him though. It was obvious he was lonely, and I wished I could take that away from him. There was so much pain below the surface that he successfully hid from anyone else. I was able to see it but I doubt anyone else did.

The next couple of weeks were painfully slow. I didn’t hear from him after his last reply. I tried not to worry but given how he said they encountered potentially dangerous situations my imagination was in overdrive. I was pretty sure that Dean wouldn’t let anything happen to him but no word from him at all was disconcerting.

To keep myself busy while waiting to hear from him again, I gave myself projects to do at home. I started with the basement but when my dad saw me going through some of the boxes he got upset and told me to leave them alone. When he noticed my startled reaction, he apologized and told me that some of the boxes had Mom’s stuff in them and he didn’t want to go through them yet. I thought nothing of it. It made perfect sense to me, I knew I wasn’t ready to go through her stuff, so I gave up on the basement and decided to do some stuff around the yard.

I put on a pair of overalls and a t-shirt I didn’t care about and went outside. I brought the cordless phone with me just in case. The twins were within my line of sight from the main living room window and I kept an eye on them as I began to putter around the bushes near our deck. I wasn’t five minutes into it when the phone rang, startling me in the process. I dusted off my hands and grabbed the phone off the deck.

“Hello?” I answered quickly and almost out of breath.

“Hey Nina.” Sam replied and a huge smile appeared on my face.

“Hey! This is a nice surprise.”

“Sorry I haven’t written recently but we’ve been really busy.”

“It’s okay, I get it.”

“I figured you deserved a phone call.” He replied in a quiet voice.

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine, the same.”

“You sound unhappy.”

“I tried to talk to my dad about school. It didn’t go over well.”

“Oh. I'm sorry.”

“There’s a lot riding on me staying with them.”

“But you deserve a chance to be happy.”

“I'm happy now that I'm talking to you.”

“So am I.”

“I don’t have long though.”

“It’s okay, I'm just glad to hear your voice.”

“Likewise. It almost makes it worth it.”

“What worth it?”

“The fact that hopefully down the road we might be in the area again and I can see you.”

“But you have no idea when.” It wasn’t a question.

“No and with so much going on right now I'm not sure how often I can get online to email you. There might be times when I can’t write or call for weeks on end because of the areas we’re in.”

“I understand, I really do.”

“It sucks.”

“I know but what can you do?”

“Run away.” He sounded serious.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“We both know you’d regret it. You’ve already lost your mom; you don’t want to lose Dean and your dad too. Down the road I can see you going to school but taking off out of the blue right now? I'm not sure it would be a good idea.” I replied and he sighed.

“True but I don’t want to lose you either.” WTF?

“Who said anything about that?”

“Statistically, long distance relationships don’t work.” Wow…he was ominously pessimistic.

“Based on the stats ...how many people turn out like you and I have when they’ve lost a parent?”

“Good point.”

“I'm not going anywhere, Sam. I’ll be here for you.”

“It’s just that you’re really the only positive thing in my life right now.”

“You’re worrying me, Sam.” I replied. “Your dad and Dean can’t be that bad, can they?”

“I’m fine…it’s just the job; it gets to you after a while. It’s long, hard, dirty, tough and exhausting. It’s not conducive to a healthy family life.”

“Ugh.” I grumbled. “You don’t have a healthy relationship with Dean or your dad?”

“Not really. It works but that’s about it.”

“Why do most guys have to be so emotionally constipated?” He laughed.

“That’s a good question for which I don’t have an answer.”

“I just don’t get it...you’d think that Dean and your dad would be happy that you have the potential to do something really great with your life. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not dissing what they do—it’s an honest living and I'm down with that but if you have the opportunity to become anyone you want and be successful at it, you’d think they’d be more supportive.”

“Yeah well our family isn’t typical. I guess I'm the black sheep and I'm stuck with them until I can figure out a way out of it that doesn’t start World War 3.”

“You’ve got my support—whatever you decide. I just want you to be happy.”

“I know and it makes all the difference, believe me.”

“Look...I’m not going to put any more pressure on you than you already have. You won’t need to worry about me. One thing I do know is that dad wants me to go to university. He couldn’t be happier about my plans for Stanford, which means he won’t uproot us and cart us all over the damn place. He’s going to stay here and make sure I’ve got all my ducks in a row. I guess what I'm trying to say in a very long-winded way is that I'm not going anywhere, and you know where to find me.”

“That’s a welcome relief.”

“Sam, the way you’re talking...it’s got me kind of worried.”

“I'm not used to things working out so...I’m almost waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“You’re not going to lose me, like ever.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I don’t know...it’s just a feeling I have.”

“Does Bonnie have the same feeling?”

“Yes, actually.” He was quiet for a moment. “Why?”

“I don’t know—it’s just that you two seem unusually perceptive.”

“We’ve all got natural giftings, I guess this just happens to be ours.” I paused. “Do _you_ sense anything?”

“Yes.” He answered apprehensively.

“Is it bad?”

“I know you’re in my future...I just don’t know to what extent.”

“If we have a future, that’s a good thing, right?”

“I want it to be.” Something about his tone was off.

“There’s something you’re not telling me. I can hear it in your voice.”

“I can’t get into it.” He paused. “I want to but I don’t think it’s a good idea, at least not right now.”

“Does it have to do with your dad and Dean?”

“Yes.”

“Well...I’m not about to get in the middle and start a ruckus with your family. I trust that whatever it is you’re dealing with you’ll do the right thing.”

“I'm going to try.”

“Sam, you’re way too hard on yourself. Cut yourself some slack.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“It’s kind of intense.”

“I'm an open book, for _you_ at least.”

“Do you ever feel like somehow you don’t fit in? Like you don’t belong? You could be standing in a room full of people you know and yet feel completely alone?”

I knew exactly how that felt. Even with my family and friends I still felt that a part of me was different. I never told anyone about how I could sometimes get premonitions or gut feelings which, most of the time, were bang on. Or that sometimes my dreams came true. Like the one I had about Sam kissing me for the first time. I felt weird, kind of like a freak and while I got along well with others...I still felt very much alone…that is until I met Sam. For some reason, he made sense in my life, he made me feel like I wasn’t alone, like we were connected for a greater purpose. But what purpose was that? How often do people meet someone and then bam eight weeks later think they’re your soul mate? I almost shuddered at the thought of telling him that, I would scare him off for sure.

“Nina?” Sam’s voice interrupted my train of thoughts.

“Sorry...um yes.” I replied. “I’ve always felt like that, to be honest.”

“Me too...even though Dad and Dean are right there with me.”

“It doesn’t make sense, does it?” I asked.

“No but I know one thing that does make sense.”

“What?”

“You.” Wow. “The only time in my life that I never felt out of place was with you and your friends. I felt like I belonged.”

“You do, Sam.”

“I have to see you again—somehow, some way.”

“Good.” I smiled.

“Crap.” He muttered. “I’ve gotta go. Look...it might be a while until you hear from me but don’t assume the worst.”

“Okay...” In the background, I heard a car door closing.

“I love you.” He whispered.

“I love you too.” I replied and then he disconnected the call.

What I didn’t realize is that during our entire conversation the twins were watching me from the window. They couldn’t hear me but I'm sure by my expressions they knew who I was talking to. I arched my eyebrows and motioned for them to turn around and continue doing homework. They smiled after a moment and got back to it. I decided to abandon my task outside and go into the house. Not two seconds after I walked in they were hitting me with questions.

“That was Steve, wasn’t it?” Arielle smiled at me.

“Duh.” Andrew replied. “See the look on her face? It’s kind of obvious.”

“Don’t say anything.” I replied.

“What’s the big deal? He’s not here anymore.” Andrew frowned but Arielle crossed her arms and glared at him. “Fine! I won’t say anything.”

“I'm glad he called you.” Arielle added. “He makes you happy.”

“Enough that I want to puke.” Andrew teased and I playfully pushed him.

Over the course of the next few months Sam emailed me three times and called twice. He wouldn’t give details about his whereabouts nor what they encountered but I could tell he was unhappy. I tried to get him to talk about it, but he was evasive or cryptic and I still wouldn’t end up knowing what the problem was. I could tell he wanted to tell me, and I could also tell how frustrated he was at being unable to divulge any details, but I refused to put any pressure on him. He was very apologetic, but I knew it was beyond his control, so I wasn’t upset with him. I was, however, upset with Dean. After our last conversation, I had the non-pleasure of overhearing part of a conversation between him and Sam. Sam probably thought he had disconnected the call after he said _bye,_ but he didn’t and what I heard angered me.

“What are you doing?” Dean asked harshly.

“Homework.” Sam replied, annoyed.

“That can wait.” Dean answered abruptly. “You’ve got work to do. We need that info A.S.A.P.”

“Unlike you...I would like to pass my classes and graduate. I’ll finish the research later...just let me do this.”

“You can do your homework later. Dad needs the intel pronto.” Dean answered gruffly.

“Fine.” Sam replied coldly and I heard him slam the book closed. “Whatever.”

“People’s lives are at stake but sure, _whatever_.” Dean mocked.

Something about the _people’s lives are at stake_ comment made me wonder what the hell they were facing.

“I get it okay?” Sam retorted.

“I'm going to see what I can find out at the park ranger’s office...or should I stay here and babysit you?”

“Shut up!” Sam snapped. I heard Dean laugh and a door slam. Sam sighed. “I hate my life.” He commented.

At that point, I ended the call because I was pretty sure he would feel humiliated if he knew I overheard everything. Part of me wanted to find out Dean’s cell number so I could leave him a message about what a dick he was but then after thinking about it I realized it could get Sam into trouble. I debated about sending him an email, but I just figured I should let it go. If Sam felt it was important enough to talk to me about then he would. Otherwise I needed to just mind my own business.


	4. Chaotic Reunion

Time moves so slow when all you want to do is see or talk to someone and yet know that you’re unable to for an unspecified period of time. You do your best to pass the time, but each second feels like an hour and each hour feels like 24. Aside from my regular routines, chores, and of course my martial arts training, I tried to occupy my time with additional activities. I began to hang out with my friends more often. Bonnie seemed to be happier and wasn’t as reclusive; Elena and Matt seemed to be inseparable, but she insisted they were only friends. Tyler and Vicki had broken up a couple of weeks after my last call from Sam, but they started to hang around us which meant Tyler and I were thrown together a lot when we hung out with the others. As I got to know him a bit better, I realized Tyler wasn’t the stereotypical athlete I assumed he was. He was just frustrated by his own parental drama and didn’t know how to deal with it. His father was the town mayor and his mom was a conceited snob with a tendency to look down on those beneath their status. Tyler wasn’t a snob though; he just had an arrogant, inattentive bully for a father and a materialistic, superficial bitch for a mom. What he lacked was healthy companionship and that’s precisely what he found hanging around us. The more I saw him the more I liked being around him and we began to grow closer, becoming good friends. Like Sam he let his guard down around me but I wasn’t sure why. What was it about me that made others feel comfortable to be themselves while inwardly I felt like an outcast?

Gradually, after being exposed to Matt and Tyler’s interests, ad nauseum, I began to have an affinity for sports—specifically football and hockey. I didn’t know all the sports jargon, but I did enjoy watching the games. I may have been a geek when it came to some things, but I slowly became a sports fan. It provided an adrenaline induced escape for me and seeing as though both Matt and Tyler were on the football team I ended up getting dragged to the games and the after parties with Elena and Bonnie, which usually took place at Tyler or Matt’s place. It was surprisingly fun and a great diversion and allowed me a reprieve from constantly thinking about Sam. Anything to keep me from worrying about him non-stop was welcome.

Despite my newly found appreciation for sports and after parties, I didn’t neglect my studies one bit, I managed to incorporate everything into my schedule and still have time for my responsibilities at home and with the twins. Dad had become a bit annoyed with me at my newfound distraction. I didn’t spend as much time training as he preferred even though I made it clear that I was still practicing at least 3-4 times a week instead of every day. For some odd reason, he had this urgency for me to be some martial arts dynamo. I didn’t know why; our lives were relatively boring and with my current skill set I could probably kick the crap out all the guys at the school.

When I made the comment about him training me to be an assassin he laughed and then cut me some slack. He explained that he just wanted me prepared for anything, not just a potential assailant. The endurance, the flexibility, the swiftness of what I learned enabled me to think quickly on my feet and would prove useful in almost any situation, not to mention the target practice and outdoor survival skills. If he signed me up for some survival or wilderness reality show—no doubt I would win but in our little, dull, town there wasn’t much use for the extra skills. However, I still kept up my training to avoid his constant pestering.

After a while I lost count of how many weeks it had been since I heard from Sam. It could have been months for all I knew. I sent him a few emails to touch base with him, but I never got a reply. I tried not to notice the date of his last reply, but it popped up like a big, fat, disappointing reminder every time I checked my email account. I know he didn’t promise to write every day or even every week and he did warn me that there could be long gaps where I might not hear from him—but months? I sighed as the ache intensified in my heart.

Thankfully one day, out of the blue I received a postcard in the mail from Montana. I turned it over and all it stated was:

_“Just wanted to let you know that I didn’t forget about you. Don’t worry. Xoxo, Sam.”_

My face lit up the minute I saw it. I even brought it to school the next day and hung it up in my locker underneath the photo booth pictures of us. Bonnie smiled when she noticed.

“He misses you a lot, don’t worry.” She whispered and I arched my eyebrow. “That’s what my gut says.”

“Mine too but I'm not worried about him missing me...I’m worried about him, period.”

“I can’t describe how I know but I really think that his brother and his dad will keep him safe and I have no doubt that you’ll see him in the near future.”

“How near is that future?”

“I don’t know. I’d love to say tomorrow, but I think that’s unlikely.”

“It’s been five months since I last saw him.” I sighed. “But I knew what I was getting into I guess.”

“He’ll come back, eventually.” She replied quietly as she put a hand on my shoulder. “But there’s nothing wrong with having a life in the interim, I’m sure Sam would encourage you to live your life.”

“He would, and he has.” I looked at the pictures and the postcard again before shutting the locker. “I just didn’t realize how hard this would be. I don’t doubt his sincerity but even he said he couldn’t promise me anything and he didn’t want me to put his life on hold for him if he didn’t know when he could see me again.”

“See?” She smiled. “It’s okay to be happy if he’s not here.”

“But I feel guilty.”

“Why?” She frowned.

“Because I know he’s not happy.”

“That’s not on you.” She replied. “You can’t stifle your own happiness because of someone else, even Sam. Besides, he wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.”

“True.” I sighed and she put an arm around me.

“Come on, let’s get to class.” She replied and I nodded.

She had a point. Sam made it clear that he didn’t want to hold me back from living my life and it was kind of hard to put my life on hold for him anyway because I barely heard from him. I was loyal to a fault, but he didn’t make me any promises and I couldn’t feel guilty if I moved on with my life in the interim.

As usual I went to the Friday night football game with Elena and Bonnie. Afterwards we went to Tyler’s place to celebrate their win. His parents allowed him to use the game room for his parties and that suited me just fine seeing as though I would end up playing foosball, billiards or darts. They had a huge TV screen mounted to the wall and an elaborate surround sound system hooked up to it to make sure that we had a theatre experience when we decided to watch TV. Everyone munched on snacks and drank pop while they milled about, socializing. I was playing billiards with Elena when Matt and Tyler walked up and asked to partner up and see who would win. Elena smirked.

“I'm pretty sure we’ll kick your ass.” Elena teased.

“Why don’t we make it interesting?” Matt suggested. “Why don’t you and I play against Tyler and Nina?”

“What do you think Nina?” Elena asked.

“Sure, why not.” I replied. “Maybe it will give them a fighting chance.”

“Ha, probably.” Elena laughed and Tyler chuckled.

“Get ready to lose, Donovan.” Tyler commented and picked up a pool cue.

“Not a chance, Lockwood.” Matt replied and did the same.

Elena and I just shook our heads and went with the flow. Bonnie was chatting with a few girls from our class when I noticed her look over at us. She arched an eyebrow toward Tyler and then looked back at me. Before I could say anything, Tyler patted my arm.

“You break.” He said. “Since we won the coin toss.” I didn’t even realize I missed it.

“Okay.” I mumbled and proceeded to take the first shot.

“Nice.” He smiled as the balls were dispersed evenly around the table.

We ended up playing three games. Bonnie wandered over and casually talked with us but didn’t say a lot. She watched us curiously and then moved on to mingle with other people. Eventually when I noticed the time, I realized I should probably go home.

“I can drive you.” Matt suggested.

“He’s just excited about getting his license.” Elena grinned.

“Of course, I am.” Matt beamed. “So what do you think?”

“That’s fine; I was going to walk anyway.”

“Like hell you’re walking out there, alone.” Tyler blurted. “I’ll go with you.”

“It’s fine, really.” I replied.

“I'm going and that’s final.” Tyler insisted.

“Okay.” I sighed. “As if I could ever change your mind.”

“Nope.” He grinned and I laughed. Bonnie walked over to us.

“Going home?” She asked.

“Yeah. I’m beat.”  
“I’m glad you came out.”

“Me too.” Tyler replied and Bonnie smiled at his response.

“I’ll call you on the weekend.” I said to Bonnie and she nodded.

I said my goodbyes to everyone else while Bonnie watched us curiously as we left. It looked like she had something on her mind but I didn’t think anything of it. I followed Tyler out of his huge place and toward the driveway. He waited until I caught up and then walked beside me, keeping an eye on our surroundings.

“You have a pretty large estate.” I commented.

“It’s been in the family for years.” He replied.

“The Lockwood’s are one of the founding families, right?”

“Yeah.” He replied, unimpressed.

“It is a beautiful piece of land.” I said as I looked around.

“There’s supposed to be some old caves and buildings somewhere in the forest behind the house.”

“You never checked it out?”

“I never cared before but you’re right...it is nice out here.” He motioned to the area. “So I'm thinking about taking a walk out there someday to see the property.”

“I bet that would be incredible.”

“You can come with me some time, if you want.” He asked quietly.

“I think I’d like that.”

“Kind of figured since you like walking everywhere.” He smirked.

“It clears my head.”

“Mine too, I guess.”  
“You seem at one with nature.” I replied.

“I love the outdoors.” He said. “It’s just that I’ve been so busy with football that I forget that we have all this.”

“I’d be out here every day if I was you.”

“I'm sure you would.” He smiled.

We walked down the long driveway and onto the main road. We had a good conversation while we made our way into town, talking about everything from our classes to our teachers. Surprisingly, I felt very comfortable being alone with him. It was the first time since meeting Sam that I felt that safe with a guy and I wasn’t sure if I should feel guilty or relieved. Guilty because I felt I shouldn’t like being around another guy but relieved because I knew I could trust Tyler not to hurt me and I enjoyed being around him. It was a strange feeling.

As we approached the main part of town I decided to be honest with him to see what his reaction would be.

“You know...I have to admit that you’re not the jerk I thought you were.” I stated and he laughed.

“Wow, okay...tell me how you really feel.”

“Sorry…I wasn’t trying to offend you.” I replied sheepishly.

“Oh I know...you’re just being honest— _brutally_ honest.”

“That’s me.”

“It’s one of my favourite things about you.”

“It is?” I looked at him like he was nuts. “Normally that turns people off.”

“When you’re used to being around fake people all the time you tend to appreciate the honesty in others.”

“What’s the deal with your parents?” I blurted without thinking.

“Wow.” His eyes widened. “You don’t hold anything back do you?”

“You don’t have to answer.” I smiled. “I’m just curious.”

“They’re just about appearances.”

“And you’re not.”

“I was...but I think I'm evolving.” He smirked at me.

“What brought on this evolution?”

“I think it’s you.” He replied with a slight smile.

“What?” I stopped walking and stared at him. “How can it be me?”

“You have a positive effect on people.”

“I do?” My eyes widened.

“Yes.” He nodded. “You don’t see how people react to you, but I do.”

“I'm just nice, that’s all.”

“No, it’s more than that.” He thought about it for a moment. “I can’t explain it properly but it’s like you give off this happy vibe.”

“Happy vibe?” I replied and he sort of chuckled.

“I know, it sounds weird but you kind of brighten up a room when you walk into it.” That was sweet.

“I didn’t realize that.”

“It’s probably why Sam liked you.” That was the first time he mentioned Sam’s name since we began hanging out.

“Um...I...”

“I know it’s what caught my eye.” He stood right beside me.

“Really?”

“Yeah…that and your beautiful smile and green eyes.” _Whoa!_

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. He didn’t scare me, and I didn’t feel uncomfortable but I was spoken for, sort of. Or was I? I hadn’t heard from Sam in five months… could I still consider us to be a couple or even remotely dating? Truth was I liked Tyler and he was very attractive. He had short dark brown hair, brown eyes with long lashes, a strong jawline and nice full lips. He was beyond appealing and interestingly enough the exact opposite of Sam, in almost every way.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You’re still into Sam, aren’t you?” He asked.

“Yes, and we’re kind of together.” _I think._

“He hasn’t been here in over five months. How can that be considered _together_?” Ouch.

“We’re trying to make it work.” _I think_.

“If you never see him, how can it work?” _Good point, I have no idea._

“We stay in touch and he’s planning to visit.” I lied, sort of.

“When?” He asked curiously.

“Um...I...”

“You don’t know, do you?” Double ouch.

“Look...it’s a long story.” I replied anxiously.

“Why would you waste your time on a guy you never see?”

I hated that he was right but Sam wasn’t just any guy and until he did something to prove me wrong, I wasn’t going to write him off.

“He’s not a waste of time.” I replied firmly.

“I'm not dissing him...I’m just saying it doesn’t make sense to say you’re with him if you never see him. How can he really be there for you if he’s never here?”

“We communicate.”

“But he’s not here though…”

I hated that he was right, and it hurt. He wasn’t trying to be mean, but he made several valid points. Part of me wanted to hit him for being so honest and the other part of me wanted to cry because he hit the nail on the head.

However; before I could answer a familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.

“I'm here, _now_.” Sam said firmly.

It seemed like he appeared out of nowhere and he frowned at Tyler. My eyes bulged a bit. It looked like he was growing his hair out and he was even cuter than I remembered, and he seemed taller. Wow.

“For once.” Tyler replied curtly.

“Tyler...” I shook my head but just as I was about to walk over to Sam, Tyler got in my way and glared at him.

“Where the hell have you been for the last five months? Did you fall off the planet?” Tyler exclaimed.

“My family is on the road a lot.” Sam replied, trying to stay calm.

“Yeah, I know—I get it but even people in the army get a day pass.” _Ouch_.

“Tyler that’s enough. You don’t know the situation.” I replied and faced me.

“Do you?” Tyler said. _Double ouch_.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sam asked and Tyler crossed his arms and frowned at him.

“What are you hiding?” Tyler asked.

“I'm not hiding anything.” Sam replied, annoyed.

“Yeah...sorry I'm not buying it. I can tell you’re lying.” _Oh boy…_

“Tyler, stop...please.” I gently pulled on his arm and he faced me.

“Nina—something about this doesn’t smell right to me.” He paused but noticed my expression. “Fine, I’ll let you figure it out.” He faced Sam again. “If you hurt her I’ll kick your ass.”

He walked away in a huff and I stared after him my mouth gaping.

“Wow. I don’t know where that came from.” I commented in shock.

“He’s into you.” Sam replied.

“No.” I shook my head. “We’re just friends.”

“He likes you, Nina… as more than a friend, trust me I can tell.”

“Oh.” I mumbled. “Um…well I told him that you and I are _together._ ” He had a slight grin.

“I know, I heard.” He smiled.

“He’s not really a jerk, I promise.”

“I know. He’s just pissed you’re with me.”

“Well I hope he gets over it.” I replied.

“Me too.” He grinned. “But he has a point. I’ve been M.I.A.”

“I know but you make the effort.” I smiled. He didn’t reply. “Anyway...what are you doing here? How did you manage to get away?”

“I borrowed a truck and drove here. We’re only a few hours away.”

“They let you come here?” I asked curiously.

“They left me alone for a couple of days.” He replied.

“What?” I frowned. “Where the hell are they?”

“It’s fine, Nina. They’re doing a job that is kind of dangerous, so they thought it was best to leave me behind.”

“Oh.”

“Besides, I have money and this.” He held up a cell phone.

Without a warning, I hugged him and held on for a few minutes.

“I’ve missed you so much.” I blurted.

“Yeah, me too.” He replied but then pulled away and looked down into my eyes with a sigh. “Maybe he’s right.”

“Who?”

“Tyler.”

“About what?”

“I'm not around enough to really be your boyfriend. Maybe you are better off with someone who actually lives here. God knows I don’t know how often I can see you or write to you.” Ouch.

“Is that what you really want?” I asked as my stomach knotted.

“Of course not but he has a point. I'm barely here and there are aspects of my life that I can’t talk to you about—not because I don’t want to but because it has to do with my family and I'm not supposed to.”

“At least you’re being honest about it.” I replied and he still wore a guilty expression. “Stop feeling guilty for something you have no control over.”

“Comes with the territory I guess.”

“Well stop it!” I replied firmly. He arched an eyebrow. “I knew what I signed up for. You were straight up about the situation and how hard it would be so don’t let what Tyler said get to you.”

“I just feel like I'm holding you back.”

“From what?”

“From life.”

“You aren’t.” I replied. “I still live my life. I miss you like crazy, but the world doesn’t stop spinning.”

“Good.” He smiled. “But what if it’s going to be another 6 months before I see you again?” I hated that idea.

“I admit that would suck—in a big way but as long as we still communicate it should be okay. If you still want to work things out then I'm willing to make the most of the time we have now.”

“That’s good enough for you?” He asked.

“The question is...is it good enough for you?”

“For me yes... but... I’m sure, eventually you’ll want more.”

“You’re acting like this is permanent. This is temporary.” When he didn’t reply I arched an eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”

“Yeah...no it is.” He nodded quickly, awkwardly.

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“Just trying to figure it all out in my head.”

“You’re going to give yourself a migraine. Stop stressing over this.” I grabbed his hand. “So... you’re a few hours away?” I looked down at my watch.

“Yeah... I just got in the truck and drove here. I didn’t think about the time. Sorry.”

“I'm just glad to see you—I don’t care about the time.”

“Yeah but your dad will be looking for you, right?”

“Not yet... I just didn’t want to stay at the party for too long.”

“Party?” He arched an eyebrow.

“The after party for the football team. I go to the games every Friday with Elena and Bonnie and then we hang out afterwards.”

“Does Tyler usually walk you home?” He asked curiously.

“No, I usually get a ride home with Matt and Elena.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“You like him.” His lips went into a straight line.

“Matt?” I asked, confused.

“No, Tyler.”

“When he’s away from everyone—he’s not such an arrogant ass.” I smiled. “But we’re friends—that’s it.”

“So, I have nothing to worry about with him?” _I don’t think so._

“What? _No_.” I looked at him like he was nuts. “I know you’re not here all the time, but you don’t have to worry about me cheating. I'm not like that.”

“Oh, I know you’re not...I just don’t think he’s the type of guy who will give up that easy.”

“Doesn’t matter—I'm with you, remember?” He smiled. “We don’t usually hang out by ourselves anyway; tonight, he didn’t want me walking home alone.”

“Why didn’t Matt drive you?”

“I wanted to walk.”

“Well Tyler is right...you shouldn’t be walking out here alone.”

“Are you kidding? This is Mystic Falls. Nothing ever happens here.” I replied and his brow furrowed.

“What do you know about your town’s history?” That was out of the blue.

“Not a whole lot but we’re starting to touch on some things in class...why?”

“No reason. I'm just curious about the towns I visit.”

“Makes sense, I'm sure the pests vary from state to state.”

“They do.” He answered and I felt like I was missing something so obvious.

“Well nothing really happens around here without the whole town knowing about it.”

“Good to know.” He looked at his watch and sighed.

“What?”

“I wish I had more time with you tonight.” 

“We still have time.”

“Not much.” He replied, disappointed. Suddenly I had a thought.

“I have an idea.”

“What?”

“Does your cell phone give off caller ID?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Good, hand it over.” He shrugged and gave it to me. I dialed the number and called home.

“Hello?” Dad answered.

“Hey Dad.” I replied brightly.

“Where are you?” He asked curiously.

“I'm still at Tyler’s but I went outside to get away from the noise. I'm using his phone.”

“Oh.” He commented. “Having fun?”

“I am… but I was wondering... if it would be okay if I crashed at Elena’s or Bonnie’s place tonight?” Sam’s eyes bulged slightly.

“You’re not staying over at the party.” It wasn’t a question. He was firm.

“No, heck no.” I remarked.

“So, if I show up there later...you won’t be there?”

“Nope but if it makes you feel better to check in on me... feel free.” I replied. He chuckled at my response.

“Fair enough...what time will you be back tomorrow?”

“Probably not until around dinner time because you know how girls get—we could talk all night.” He laughed.

“Well, you do more than your fair share around here. Go ahead and hang out with your friends and have some fun. Just try to get some sleep.”

“I will.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.” I replied and disconnected the call. Sam’s mouth gaped after listening to my conversation.

“What did you just do?” He was shocked.

“I just bought us some more time.”

“You’re not going to be staying at Bonnie’s or Elena’s...?”

“Nope.” I began dialing another number. It rang about six times before someone picked up.

“This is Ty, what do you want?” Wow he made it back there quickly.

“It’s me, Nina.”

“Nina! Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“I'm fine, relax.” I replied calmly.

“I’m sorry I was a jerk.” He replied quietly.

“It’s fine Tyler, I know you’re just looking out for me.”

“I am.” He replied. “Sam’s not a jerk. I kind of wish he was so I could pound him, but I know he cares about you. I can’t be mad at the guy for caring about you.” I smiled and sighed.

“Thanks. That means a lot.” I replied. “Not to rush you or anything but are Elena and Bonnie still there?”

“Elena is.”

“Can I talk to her?”

“Sure, just a sec...” A few minutes later and after a lot of commotion she picked up the phone.

“Nina? What’s going on?” She asked.

“Can you do me a huge favour?”

“Sure hon, name it.”

“Did Tyler tell you that Sam is here?”

“Oh yeah... did he ever. Boy he’s pissed.” Figures.

“Well... see the thing is... he drove a few hours to see me and well it’s getting late, so I didn’t want him to drive all the way back.”

“I don’t think my parents will let him stay over.”

“No... actually I was wondering if you could just pretend like I'm going to stay over.”

“Pretend?”

“I told my dad I was crashing at your place or Bonnie’s.” There was a long pause. “So, if he calls I was wondering if one of you could cover for me.”

“Are you going to spend the night with him?” She whispered.

“Not in that way... get your head out of the gutter.” I replied and Sam smiled.

“Phew...” She replied.

“Look... don’t tell anyone except Bonnie, just in case my Dad calls. I told him we’d be up all night talking and that I wouldn’t be back until around dinnertime.”  
“Sam’s going to drive you back?”

“Yeah.” She was quiet again. “Elena... it’s fine, I promise.”

“No—it’s just that... _wow_... this doesn’t seem like something you’d do.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen him in five months and I only have a couple of days with him so cut me some slack okay?”

“I'm not judging.” She replied.

“Good... so can you help me out?” _Please say yes!!_

“Sure. No problem.” She paused. “Um...did you need a change of clothes?” _Crap._ Yes, I did.

“Shoot—I forgot about that.”

“Get Sam to drive you here and we’ll go to my place to get you an outfit. Then you can drive me back to the party.”

“Won’t your parents find that a bit suspicious?”

“They’ll probably be in the family room watching TV or something. I doubt they’ll even notice.”

“Okay... if you think so... but won’t Tyler freak out if Sam shows up?” Sam frowned.

“Not if you just wait in the driveway.”

“Good point.”

“See you soon.” She answered and disconnected the call.

“What was that about?” Sam asked.

“Elena’s going to cover for me, but I want to get a change of clothes and we need to pick her up and go to her place for it... is that okay?”

“Sure, yeah.” He nodded.

“Is it too forward of me to invite myself over to where you’re staying?” I asked. “I didn’t really ask you ahead of time and it occurred to me that I’m being pushy.”

“It’s fine and you’re never pushy.” He smiled. “It’s not like anything’s going to happen... _right_?”

“Um... no... I hope that’s okay.” I shook my head.

“Don’t worry. I’m not a jerk.” He smiled. “But… if Tyler gets in my face again...”

“We’re going to stay in the car.” I replied.

“Good because if Tyler pisses me off again I’d like to throttle him.” I smiled.  
“What?”

“I didn’t realize you had such a temper.”

“I'm a guy. You think I'm going to stand back and let some jackass push me around?”

“He’s not a jackass.”

“He acts like it.”

“Are you jealous?” I asked with a bit of a smile.

“N—no.”

“Really?” I arched an eyebrow and he finally smiled and sighed.

“Fine...I just hate that he has the chance to see you all the time and I don’t.”

“He doesn’t see me all the time.”

“You hang out a lot.”

“With other friends... it’s not the same thing.”

“Fine.” He commented. “I’ll take your word for it.”

He held my hand as we walked to the truck. The butterflies were back, and I couldn’t contain my smile.

“I'm so glad you’re back.” I gushed, quietly.

“Me too.” He replied with a grin. “It’s been too long.”

“Yeah...you kind of had me worried.”

“Sorry about that.” He mumbled as we got to the truck and he unlocked the door for me. “It’s been crazy.”

“I can imagine... but you’re here now so it’s all good.” He helped me inside and then walked around and let himself in. “So, you’re sure that your dad and Dean won’t be around?”

“Yeah—they’re busy.”

“Good.”

He started the truck and began driving. I showed him the way to Tyler’s, and he parked at the end of the long driveway. Elena was already there waiting for us. She ran up to the truck with a big grin on her face. I rolled down the window.

“Hey Sam.” She blurted excitedly. “Long time no see!”

“Um hi.” He commented with a grin. “Yeah, how are things?”

“Good.” She replied and I opened the door to let her inside.

I moved into the middle which put me right beside Sam. I got more butterflies being that close to him and she put her seatbelt on.

“I'm surprised Tyler isn’t out here giving me the third degree.” Sam said as he turned the truck around.

“They’re busy playing Foosball and besides I didn’t tell them you were coming. I only said I was getting some fresh air but that I’d be back.”

“It’s just as well.” I replied. “Tyler is a bit of a pill around Sam.”

“That’s because he likes you.” Sam replied.

“Yeah, he does.” Elena agreed. “But honestly he’s not such a bad guy when you get to know him.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Sam mumbled and kept driving. She smirked.

“Thanks for doing this Elena.” I replied.

“It’s cool besides someday when I need a favour I know you’ll come through.”

“You know I will... that is unless you’re going to kill someone and well… I'm not down with that.”

“Well neither am I.” She chuckled. Elena directed Sam to her place, and he parked on the road. “We’ll be back out in a few minutes okay?” Elena looked at Sam as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the truck.

“Sure, no problem.” He nodded to himself with a grin.

We could hear the TV coming from the family room in the basement, but she brushed it off. We snuck up to her room and she didn’t turn the light on until the door was closed.

“He’s looking good huh?” She whispered as she opened her dresser drawers.

“Yeah.” I replied. “He really is.”

“I forgot how tall he was.”

“I know. I think he got taller too. I feel like a shrimp next to him.”

“I like it when a guy is taller than a girl. It makes you feel safe.” She replied and I thought about it.

“Yeah...you’re right. I do feel safe next to him.”

She rummaged through her drawers until she handed me a set of pyjamas, and an outfit for the next day. She quietly snuck out of her room and returned within a couple of minutes. In her hands, she had a little travel kit that included shampoo, conditioner, a toothbrush and toothpaste.

“Wow...” I whispered.

“I'm always ready for a sleepover.” She whispered as she put the clothes and the travel kit into a small backpack.

“I guess so.” I smiled.

“Are you nervous?” She asked. “To spend the night alone with him?”

“No, actually.”

“You don’t think he’ll try anything?”

“Honestly, no. If anything, I think he’s paranoid about me being comfortable.”

“You realize your dad would freak if he knew the truth.”

“I know.” I replied. “And I hate to lie to him, but I don’t have much time with Sam, and I want to make it count.”

“I’ll cover you if he calls but I seriously doubt he will. He trusts you.”

“That’s why I feel so guilty.”

“I don’t understand why you can’t just introduce Sam to your Dad and be done with it.”

“I can’t explain it, but I get the feeling less is more, and Sam agrees.”

“You and your _feelings_. I swear Bonnie and you are sipping from some weird well of intuition.”

“It doesn’t usually steer me the wrong way.”

“I know and neither does hers—it’s eerie but it’s why I listen to you.” She handed me the backpack. “We should get back.” I nodded.

We walked out to the truck and got back inside. He started it up again and slowly began the trip back to Tyler’s. Thankfully, when we got back nobody was the wiser of our little plan. She smiled at us and waved as she walked up the driveway and opened the door to the house. I didn’t let Sam leave until she was inside. He put some music on as we got ready for the drive back to the motel. He flipped through a few of the channels until it landed on one that played a variety of music. It was a nice mix.

“This station is pretty good.” I replied.

“Dean listens to the same music all the time, drives me nuts.” He commented.

“Let me guess... classic rock?”

“How did you know?”

“He seems like the type.” I smiled. “I don’t mind rock, but I like a bunch of different genres. Depends on the mood I'm in.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“So... we’ve got a few hours’ drive ahead of us...what do you want to talk about?”

“Anything you want.”

“Okay...you go first.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.” I grinned.

“Sure...okay...” He paused. “Have you always lived in Mystic Falls?”

“As far back as I can remember.”

“Is that how long you’ve known Bonnie?”

“We kind of hit it off in kindergarten. We both kept to ourselves a lot and we naturally gravitated toward each other.”

“Have you always been intuitive?”

“I guess so, I never really thought about it.”

“What about Bonnie?”

“I'm not sure but I know it’s one of the reasons we get along so well.”

“What about the rest of your friends?”

“I just met them this year, officially. I had seen them in middle school and around town, but we got to know each other better since we were in the same classes now, besides Bonnie suggested we make new friends.”

“Really?”

“Yeah... to pull me out of the slump I was in because of my mom’s death. She thought if I met some new people it would help me move on.”

“You seem a lot happier now.”

“It’s helped but truthfully I think I'm happier because of you.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“But it seems like you’re still in the middle of some family drama.”

“I'm always in the middle of some family drama, that’s just the way it is.” He replied grimly.

“Sounds like it sucks.”

“You take the good with the bad, I guess. I mean...we’re all the family we’ve got.”

“You’ve got to put down roots someday, right?”

“I want to but Dad and Dean? I don’t think they’re there yet.”

“And you get dragged along for the ride.”

“But there are times like these that make it all seem worth it.” He smiled at me and I grinned back.

“I suppose you can’t appreciate the sweet without the bitter.” I replied.

“You sure do have a unique way of looking at things.” He commented. “It’s one of the reasons I like being around you so much.”

“Thanks.”

“So how are things with your dad and the twins?”

“He doesn’t work as much overtime and I have more free time to myself.”

“Good.”

“What about you? How are things with your dad and Dean?”

“They’re okay. When Dean’s not working he usually leaves me alone while he cruises for chicks.”

“What?” I asked shocked. “That’s kind of irresponsible.”

“I can look after myself, besides... he doesn’t have much of a life. It’s not like he has any friends or anything.”

“So, you both really didn’t have a childhood.”

“No but it could be worse right?”

“Yeah, it could always be worse.” I mumbled. “So that’s why you don’t think he’ll bother us—because he’s looking for chicks?”

“More like he’s probably hooking up with some.”

“Right.” I nodded. “And that’s not your style.”

“No. That’s not me.”

“Good thing too...” I replied. “I'm not the _hook up_ kind of girl.”

“It’s probably one of the things I like about you the most.”

“Really?”  
“Yes. You’re honest, real, down to earth, funny and we have a lot in common, those traits are rare, especially in someone so pretty.” I blushed.

“You think I'm pretty?”

“Don’t you ever wonder why you get so much attention from guys?”

“I don’t get that much attention from them.” I brushed it off.

“Seriously? You didn’t see what I saw the first day we met.”

“Which is what?”

“All the pissed off reactions from the guys who saw you talking to me.”

“Really? Not just Tyler?”

“No, not just Tyler. I'm surprised you didn’t notice.”

“I don’t like being the center of attention, so I keep to myself and mind my own business.”

“I’m the same way.” He commented.

After a few minutes he reached over and grabbed my hand. I wrapped mine around his and sighed happily.

“Can I ask you something?” He asked.

“Of course.”

“Do you ever get the feeling that there is more out there than can be explained?”

“What do you mean? Like conspiracy theories?”

“Not exactly.” He answered and remained quiet.

“Are you talking about the supernatural?” I asked and his eyes bulged slightly at my question.

“I guess it depends on what your definition of _supernatural_.” He replied.

“Something that defies a logical explanation.”

“Okay then… _yes_.” He replied. I thought about it for a moment.

“I guess I do believe in it... I mean... take these feelings I get. There’s no rhyme or reason to them but nine out of ten times they are bang on. To me that’s more than just coincidence.”

“You ever wonder why you get them in the first place? Like where do they come from?”

“Not really. I think everyone has can see beyond the surface but they’re just too distracted to pay any mind to it.”

“There is a difference between someone who occasionally discerns something and someone who is consistently intuitive.”

“There is?”

“I think so.”

“Huh... I never thought about it.”

“Are you and Bonnie related in some way?” That was an odd question.

“No... why?”

“It’s just that you two are remarkably intuitive and sometimes that kind of thing runs in the family.”

“You seem to know a lot about this.” I replied.

“Not really... I just watch a lot of the discovery channel.” He smiled slightly and squeezed my hand.

“I suppose you do have a lot of time to kill when you’re on the road.”

“At times.” He mumbled. “But I’m usually pretty busy.”

“Are you keeping up with your schoolwork?”

“I’m trying.”

“They don’t really support you in that, do they?” I asked quietly.

“I'm the bookworm in the family and I guess they think it’s a waste of time.”

“Not if it can open doors for your future.”

“Yes, well we’ve disagreed on what that future should hold for me.”

“Huh.” My lips went into a straight line.

“This bothers you.” He replied.

“I don’t think I should bring it up.”  
“You can tell me anything.”

“I'm going to be honest and it might make you angry.”

“I’d rather you be honest.”

“Fine. I don’t understand why they would hold you back from a bright, promising future. If they really cared about you then they would put your needs first. They seem incredibly short-sighted and selfish to me.”

“I know it seems that way... but in truth there is so much more to this than meets the eye.”

“Okay... if you say so.” I replied stiffly and he chuckled. “What?”

“You’re cute when you’re angry.” He smiled and I rolled my eyes. “I think it’s sweet that you’re protective of me.”

“I'm not trying to be sweet or cute.” I tried to sound firm, but I couldn’t help but smile when he smiled at me.

“I appreciate your honesty.” He replied.

“I'm serious.”

“I know but the truth is I can’t really do anything about it right now. I have to deal with it until I see a way out, not all of us have something to fall back on.” _Ouch_.

“I guess you’re right. It’s easy for me to tell you to go your own way but the truth is I have a fairly normal home life, you don’t. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry for caring enough to be honest.”

“It’s just that when I think about it... you’ve lost so much, and I’d hate for you to lose out on a great future too.”

“I know it doesn’t make sense now but everything that my dad and Dean are doing is for my future.”

“Really?”

“Yeah—it’s unconventional but I can guarantee they’re not trying thwart me.”

“Okay... I’ll take your word for it and just let it go.” I answered.

“You sure? Because you have that tone in your voice...”  
“What tone?”

“The tone that implies you’re not done.” He smirked while I tried to keep a straight face.

“I kind of have this problem with being tenacious.”

“Then you’re not the only one... maybe we could join a support group or something.”

“Smart ass.” I replied as he chuckled.

I moved closer to him, unlocked my seatbelt and moved to the middle. I wrapped my arms around him and leaned my head against his shoulder. He put an arm around me and didn’t say a word.

I didn’t expect to but I fell asleep shortly after that, I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. He wasn’t angry though, he thought it was cute and sighed happily.

I didn’t wake up for the rest of the night. When I finally did we were in bed together, in the motel room. I was fully clothed and lying on top of the covers. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and was sleeping on his stomach, underneath the covers. It was apparent he didn’t move an inch toward me when I slept. He considerately brought me inside, put me on the bed and then brought my stuff in but that was it. I very carefully moved off the bed and grabbed the backpack. He was still fast asleep. I went into the bathroom and had a shower. I got ready as quietly as I could then I snuck into the room again. I put my stuff down and very gently lied back down on the bed and faced him. He opened his eyes and smiled at me.

“How long have you been awake?” I asked, smiling.

“Since you got off the bed and went into the bathroom.”

“I tried not to wake you up.”

“It wasn’t you... I’m just used to being aware of my surroundings and any sudden movement no matter how slight wakes me up.”

“I feel bad for passing out on you last night.”

“It’s no big deal, you were tired, and it was a bit of a drive.”

“So, what did you want to do today?”

“There’s some kind of local art thing in town if you want to check it out?” He asked.

“Sounds good to me... I didn’t know you were into artsy stuff?”

“I have an appreciation for art, I can’t paint or draw but I respect those who do. Plus, I don’t want to stay cooped up in here when we could be having fun out there.” He looked toward the window.

“I'm with you on that one.” I replied with a smile.

“Since you’re obviously ready, I need to have a shower and get dressed, lucky for you that will only take fifteen minutes.”  
“Is that some kind of dig at girls taking forever in the bathroom?” I playfully pushed his arm.

“Let’s just say I'm glad you went first.” He laughed as I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever.” I replied. “I wasn’t that long.”

“Okay, in all fairness you weren’t _that_ long.”

“So… do you have anything to eat in that bar fridge?” I asked curiously.

“Unfortunately, no but we can get breakfast in town.”

“Then you should be lucky that you only take fifteen minutes to get ready because I'm starving.”

He got out of bed, wearing only a pair of boxer briefs, and I took a good look at his defined abs. You couldn’t tell from his loose pants and t-shirts that he was muscular. I could tell he had definition in his arms and chest, but it wasn’t until then that I realized he was very toned.

“Um... I’ll just step outside for a minute.” I clammed up.

I grabbed my purse and walked outside without looking back at him. It only seemed like a few minutes when he opened the door.

“You don’t have to hide out here.” He replied with a grin. He was wearing a dark green t-shirt and blue jeans.

I followed him back inside and made the bed while he brushed his teeth. I looked at the other bed which was made but had a duffle bag beside it. He ran his hand through his wet hair and gave me an odd expression.

“What are you looking at?”

“Is that where Dean sleeps?”

“Yeah.”

“What about your dad?”

“When Dad crashes with us, I get the couch.”

“Really? You’re taller than Dean is; I figure you’d need the bed.”

“I'm youngest so I don’t really get a say.”

“Figures.” I replied with a frown.

“It’s not that bad.” He answered. “I'm used to it by now. Did you want to get going?” He asked.

“I guess so.” I replied while my stomach growled loudly. He laughed.

He put his wallet into his back pocket, and I followed him outside while he locked the door. We walked to the truck and he unlocked the door for me. I got inside and then he followed suit. It didn’t take long to drive into town. We were only on the outskirts which meant we probably could have walked.

“We could’ve walked and saved you the gas.”

“That’s okay, I like driving. I don’t get to do it that often.”

He parked on the road in front of a diner and we got out. It was a nice area and people were milling about and getting things ready for the art exhibit. It was a good thing it was a nice day, or it would be a bust. He gently held my hand as we walked inside the diner. We were seated right away.

We had a leisurely breakfast and enjoyed each other’s company. When we were done we walked throughout the main art exhibits and looked at the various items. We held hands and acted like any ordinary couple, which felt strange considering we rarely saw each other. At one point when I was looking at some drawings he gently tugged on my hand and when I turned to face him, he leaned down and kissed me for a moment. It felt nice and I almost didn’t want it to end. He stood there afterward, his forehead leaning against mine.

“I wish we could do this every day.” He commented.

“Hang out or kiss?”

“Both.” He replied with a grin and put his hands around my waist.

“Yeah, this is nice, definitely the high point of the month.” I replied.

“I’d say it’s the high point of the last five.” He added.

“True.” I grinned and put a hand on the side of his face.

I was about to say something else when I noticed he was frowning. Something caught his eye and he was staring behind me. I turned to see what he was looking at, but I didn’t see anything.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“We have to go.” His brow furrowed and he grabbed my hand.

“What? Why?” I asked.

“I can’t explain right now.” He whispered as he towed me along.

“You’re kind of worrying me, Sam.” I replied and tried to keep up with him.

He didn’t answer; he just pulled me toward the truck and all but shoved me inside. I had never seen him act that way and my gut told me to just go with the flow. When we were driving down the road and out of sight I noticed him continually check the rear-view mirror.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked urgently. “You’re acting like you’re wanted by the police or something.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“I can’t tell you.” He shook his head.

“Why the hell not? Obviously, you just saw something that freaked you out.”

Again, he didn’t answer me; he kept looking in the rear-view mirror and drove until we got to the motel. He parked in a hurry and rushed as we got out.

“Sam... talk to me.” I implored.

“I don’t have time for this right now.” He blurted impatiently.

“I don’t understand.”

“Later...” He mumbled as he hurriedly opened the motel room door.

He bolted inside and grabbed my backpack. It felt like seconds later that he was outside locking the door again. When he handed me the backpack I dropped it on the ground and didn’t move an inch. I crossed my arms and frowned.

“Tell me what the hell is going on.”

“Not right now.” He shook his head. “Get in the truck.”

“No.” I crossed my arms. “I'm not moving.”  
“Look... I can’t tell you why but it’s not safe for you to stay here.” He was serious and I was confused.

“I'm missing some important information here.” I commented. “Feel free to elaborate.”

He picked up my backpack and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the truck.

“I don’t have time to explain right now—just get inside.”

Something about his anxious tone of voice made me listen. I sighed unhappily, grabbed the backpack from his grasp and got into the truck. I slammed the door shut and sat there sulking while he got in.

“I know you’re pissed but I'm not trying to be a dick. I'm trying to protect you.” He stated as he started the truck. I didn’t answer. “I can’t risk anything happening to you.”  
“What did you see that would make you think I wasn’t safe?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why the hell not?”

“It’s not safe for you to know... I told you before that there are aspects of my life that I'm not able to share because it has to do with my family.”

“But obviously I just became a part of this dynamic.”

“Not if we got away in time.”

“Get away from what?” I asked and he shook his head. “Give me something to go on Sam... I’m losing my mind over here!”

“The best way I can put it is that my Dad got caught up with the wrong crowd and made some enemies.”

“Since when?”

“A while ago.”

“And they’re after you and Dean?”

“In a matter of speaking.”

“And you just saw one of them?”

“More than one, actually.” He said as he sped up.

“Holy shit.” I commented.

“It’s fine. I can take care of myself—it’s you I'm worried about.”

“Um... actually I can take care of myself too.”

“You don’t know these guys.”

“You don’t know what I'm capable of.” I replied.

“What does that mean?”

“Dad’s obsessed with me taking self-defense classes.”

“These guys are beyond that... _way_ beyond that.”

“What are they? The mob or something?”

“ _Or something_.” He mumbled quietly.

I suddenly got a bad feeling at that point and began to look around. It’s like I could feel something getting closer but that made no sense. My brow was furrowed.

“What’s with that look?” He frowned.

“We need to go faster.” I replied.

“Why?” He looked at me quickly and then back at the road.

“I don’t know...just a feeling I have.”

He had just put his foot on the gas when his eyes bulged and he slammed on the brakes. There were 3 ominous guys dressed in black from head to toe in the middle of the road. I could feel something dark, emanating from them and that freaked me out. I had never felt anything like that before. It was like an internal warning was going off and I had no idea how to react.

“Damn it!” He replied.

“Sam, get us out of here.” I replied. “Now.” He put the truck in reverse but suddenly the truck stalled.

“No, no, no!” He yelled and slammed his hand against the dash. “Damn it!!!!!”

The figures in black walked toward us with sinister grins on their faces. He looked at me in a panic and then reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a handgun and a large, silver dagger.

  
“What the hell?” My eyes widened.

“Stay here.” He said urgently. “Duck down in the seat.”

“No—you are not going out there alone.”

“I'm serious. This is life or death.”

“I don’t care. I'm not leaving you to fight these guys alone.”

“Yes, you are!” He yelled and got out of the truck.

He positioned the dagger, so it hung from the belt of his jeans then he aimed the gun at the guys in black.

“Back off.” He replied and they looked at each other.

“Looks like little Winchester has some gonads.” One of them commented.

“I'm not afraid of you.” Sam snapped.

“What about your cute girlfriend?” One of them leered at me and I glared at him.

Without a warning Sam shot him and down he went. The other two growled—which seemed odd to me. He aimed the gun at them again but this time they rushed him, and he only got one shot off. That’s when I rushed out of the truck and ran toward them before I could think. The second one was on the ground and not moving but the third one had his hands around Sam’s neck and was choking him.

“Little Winchester not so smart to be wandering in the wild without backup.”

“Go to hell.” Sam mumbled through the guy’s grip on his neck.

“Time to die.”

I immediately kicked his knee on an angle so hard that I heard a loud snap and the guy screeched so loud that I had to cover my ears. He released Sam who was gasping for air and then turned to face me. I heard the bones in his leg go back into place. He stood upright without any difficulty and my eyes widened.

“What the...?” I commented as he lunged at me.

I maneuvered out of the way and slammed him in the ribs with another hard kick. More snapping of bones, more loud screeches and I put my hands over my ears as the piercing sound echoed. Unfortunately, it enabled him to get the jump on me. He shoved me to the ground and put his hands around my neck. His eyes turned from dark brown to light blue and a feral sound came from his mouth. He almost didn’t seem human.

“Feisty little thing aren’t you?” He remarked as I struggled to break his hold. He inhaled deeply. “And such a luscious scent.” He opened his mouth to reveal oddly shaped, sharp teeth.  


I put a hand on his chest to somehow push him off me, but something happened that I didn’t anticipate. I felt some kind of power leave my hand and hit him right in the dead center. It seemed to penetrate his entire upper body. His eyes bulged, his hands released my neck as I gasped for air and he began to get off of me. It seemed like the colour was quickly draining from his face.

“What are you?” He gasped.

That’s when I heard the gunshot and the bullet hit him right in the heart. The blood splattered and his body collapsed on me. Sam ran over and helped remove the body off me. I looked up at him in awe.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he knelt beside me.

“Um... no.” I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” He put a hand on the side of my face.

“Are you hurt?”

My back was sore, and my throat was tender but otherwise I was only psychologically scarred.

“I'm okay—I think.” I replied and he helped me up.

“You weren’t kidding about self-defense classes.” He replied. “But you could’ve got yourself killed.”  
“You almost died right in front of me.” I replied in shock. “He was choking you.” I looked around at the bodies.

“We need to get out of here.” He replied and dragged the bodies off the road.

“Is it just me or did they growl? Like an animal?” My eyes were bulging at the corpses.

“Yeah... they’re a wild bunch.” He replied like it was no big deal. “Let’s get going before the rest of them show up.”  
“There are more of them?” I replied, frozen in place but he tugged my hand lead me to the truck.

“You have no idea.” He answered.

We got in the truck and thankfully, he started it without any problems. We took off like a bat out of hell. I was still covered in blood but then I began shaking. He noticed and reached over, taking my hand.

“It’s okay, Nina. We’re safe now.”

“We killed three people.” I commented.

“I did, not you.”

“Three men... died because of us...” I added.

“Three evil men who were about to kill us, Nina...”

“Right, right.” I nodded and then I began to hyperventilate.

He immediately pulled the truck over and helped me out just in time to watch me fall to my knees and throw up. He held my hair back as I continued heaving for a few minutes. When I was done, he pulled a pack of moist travel cloths from the glove compartment and gently wiped my face. I began crying.

“What the hell just happened?!” I exclaimed through the sobs. He put an arm around me.

“I'm really sorry.” He replied guiltily. “I want to explain but we can’t stay here. It’s not safe. We have to go before we run into more of them...” I nodded slightly as he helped me up.

He very carefully helped me into the truck, and I leaned my head against the back of the seat. He reached toward the cup holder and handed me a full bottle of water. I shook my head.

“You need to stay hydrated.” He replied quietly.

I took it from him and had a few gulps then I put the lid back on and left it in my lap. It felt like we had driven for about an hour before I began to feel a bit better. We sat in silence until he finally said something.

“I should’ve known better than to expose you this crap.” He blurted angrily.

“How could you have known that you would bump into them?” I replied.

“I should’ve known either way.”

“What exactly are you involved in?”

“I can’t tell you.”  
“Is it illegal?”

“No, honestly it isn’t.”

“Do you face guys like that all the time?” His jaw tightened but he didn’t reply. “Answer me.”

“Not me.”

“So your dad and Dean go after guys like that?”

“In a matter of speaking.”  
“Sam, cut the bullshit and be honest with me. You owe me that at least.”

“I can’t. The fact is if I pull you into any of this your life is in danger. What happened back there is nothing but a taste of what could happen if you knew the whole truth.”

“The whole truth? What the hell are you keeping from me?”

“Only what can hurt you.” He added. “And I’m not going to apologize for it either. I have to protect you.”

“I can handle myself, Sam.”

“I'm not getting you involved in this. It’s one of the reasons why I'm not supposed to build roots anywhere. It’s just not safe. I should have freaking known better.”

“What does this mean for us?” I asked quietly. He didn’t reply. “Sam...”

“I can’t answer that right now.” He replied cautiously.

“Tell me you’re not going to shut me out, not now, not after this...”

“I don’t want to, but I don’t think I have any other choice. I can’t risk anyone else coming after you.”

“Sam, come on.” I pleaded.

“I can’t talk about this right now, Nina. I need time to think.”

“Okay…”

We drove the rest of the way in silence. When we approached Mystic Falls, he pulled off to the side of the road and parked. He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out the small container of disposable, moistened towels.

“You should probably clean yourself up before we pull into town, we don’t want to freak anyone out or pull them into my crap.”

I nodded and got out of the truck. Blood covered both my sweater and my sleeveless tank top underneath. I wiped the blood off my arms, neck and face but my shirts were a write off. My neck was sore, very sore.

“Here.” He removed his green t-shirt to reveal that he had a fitted white t-shirt underneath. “You can wear this.”

  
He removed the fitted shirt and handed it to me while he turned around and put on his green t-shirt. I promptly removed my shirts and pulled his white t-shirt over my head. I inhaled his scent as I put it in place.

“Okay.” I stated. “I'm done.” He turned around and reached for my shirts.

“We have to burn them.”

It seemed like such a logical response that I nodded without thinking and handed them to him. That’s when the full impact of what happened came crashing back down.

“I can’t believe we... we killed three people.”

“No.” He shook his head. “You didn’t, I did.”

“But I... I...”

“You had nothing to do with this.” He put his hands on the side of my shoulders. “It’s on me.”

“That’s not true.” I shook my head.

“Yes it is.” He insisted.

I remembered hitting the last guy in the chest with some strange surge of power. It came from my hand but how was that even possible? Maybe I just imagined the whole thing. He gently squeezed my shoulders and looked into my eyes.

“You need to forget what happened today, all of it.” He stated urgently.

“But the others will go looking for them... you’ll be in more danger.” I mumbled.  
“No... we’ll hit the road tonight, believe me. Once my dad or Dean find out—we’ll be out of there.”

I stood there, feeling like I was in a trance of some sort. It had to be shock and there was no way I could possibly hide this from anyone. They would be able to tell something happened. I looked at my hands and then up at him.

“You can’t tell anyone this happened.” He stated firmly. I nodded. “I mean it; it won’t be safe for anyone if you do.” I was still in a daze. “Nina...” He put his hand on the side of my arm. “I need to hear you say it.” He said. “You will keep this to yourself.”

“Were they human?” I asked and I noticed just a slight twitch near his eye. “I saw his eyes change colour and he growled at me... like, like he was some kind of animal or something.” He gently touched my face. “They weren’t human, were they?” His jaw tightened.

“No. Which is exactly why you can’t tell anyone.”

“That’s why the bones in his leg and ribs went back into place after I kicked him.” I replied. “Because he wasn’t _human_.”

“Yes.” He replied grimly. “I'm pretty shocked at how you were able to defend yourself against him.”

“And there are more of them out there?”

“Yes.”

“How did you get on their radar?”

“They hunt humans.”

“What are they?” I asked and he shook his head.

“The less you know the better. I just pray the others don’t pick up your scent.”

I stood there dumbfounded at the fact that a strange being could masquerade as a human.

“We really need to go...” He insisted. “But please, please don’t tell anyone what happened.”

“Uh-huh…okay.” I nodded, still in shock from what happened.

He had to help me back to the truck and then inside. The door was still open, and he looked at me with a worried expression. My neck was turning colour and quickly.

“Your neck is changing colour.” He stated grimly.

I pulled out a mirror from my purse. He was right. If anyone saw me it wouldn’t be hard to figure out that someone tried to choke me or that Sam gave me a ring of hickeys around my neck.

“Damn it.” I commented. “I’ll see if Elena can find me a scarf.”

“Shit!” He commented.

“Sam…”

“We have to go.” He slammed the door shut.

He got back in and started the truck. He drove a bit slower into town than he had before we stopped. He didn’t want to draw any attention to ourselves. He parked just a few houses down from Elena’s and pulled out his cell.

“Can you dial Elena’s number?” He asked gently and I nodded, dialing the digits without thinking. When I finished he put the cell up to his ear. After a moment, she answered. “Elena, it’s Sam. Is it safe to drop Nina off at your place?”

“Uh...yeah.” She replied hesitantly.

“Good, we’re just a few houses down. She’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Okay...” She replied and he disconnected the call. He put the cell on the seat. I looked at him mournfully.

“When am I going to see you again?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” He pulled up to the curb beside her house.

“Don’t shut me out.” I replied but he didn’t say anything, he could barely look at me. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“You should go.” He replied and stared straight ahead. I sighed, grabbed my purse and my backpack.

“Sam...” I began to speak but he interrupted me.

He abruptly reached across the seat and opened my door for me. Ouch. I pulled it shut and looked at him.

“I can’t let you get caught up in this.” He stated firmly. He got out of the truck and walked around to my side and opened the door. “It’s safer this way.”

“No—I don’t accept that this is the easiest thing to do.” I shook my head.

“It isn’t the easy thing to do, this is the hardest thing I have to do but I can’t lead them back to you.”  
“But I held my own against one of them.”

“That was nothing compared to what they’re capable of.”

“Then how did I end up hurting it?”

“Lucky break—either way it doesn’t matter because I'm never putting you in that situation ever again.”

“What are you saying?”

He pulled me out of the truck and made sure I had a sure footing then he grabbed my purse and backpack and set them at my feet.

“We’re done.” He said firmly and that’s when my heart broke.

“What? No. I don’t believe that’s what you want.” My eyes began filling up with tears.

“It isn’t but it’s the best thing for you.”

“No... Sam.” I tried to reach for him, but he brushed me off. “Don’t do this.” He walked around to driver’s side.

“I have to.” He looked back at me and his jaw tightened. He got in and started the truck.

He glanced at me once as the tears streamed down my face, but he quickly faced ahead and then drove away without so much as a goodbye or a second glance.


	5. Target

The tears kept falling as I walked to Elena’s. The second I got there she took in my appearance, the tears, and her eyes bulged.

“What the hell happened?”

“I think we just broke up.” I replied.

“What?” She hugged me and I cried. She held on for a moment but then pulled away.

“Let’s continue this upstairs.” She whispered.

“Are your parents here?”

“They’re in the living room.” She replied. “But don’t worry—they won’t bug us.”

We hurried to her room but just as she opened the door her younger brother Jeremy was coming out of his room and eyed us curiously.

“Nina?” Jeremy asked. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I mumbled.

“What happened to your neck?” Jeremy asked.

“What?” Elena looked at me and her eyes bulged.

“Nothing.” I replied and covered it up.

“Nothing to see here, Jer.” Elena remarked. She pulled me into her room and closed the door. I put my stuff on the floor and sat down, pulling my knees to my chest. “What the hell happened?” I shook my head.

“I can’t talk about it.”

“Did he hurt you?” She pointed to my neck.

“No.” I shook my head. “He had nothing to do with that.”

“Then who did?”

“Long story and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Nina… come on.”

“We were attacked by people he knew I guess.”

“Holy shit.” She commented. “I’m guessing you kicked their asses.”

“Yeah and so did he.”

“I need more…” Elena replied and then noticed the shirt. “Is that his shirt you’re wearing?” I nodded.

“I spilled something on yours and it got ruined, I’m sorry. I’ll buy you another one.”

“I don’t care about the shirt Nina.” She replied. “This doesn’t make any sense.” _It would if you knew the truth_. “He loves you—anyone can see that but why did you break up?”

“It’s a long story and to be honest I really don’t want to talk about it.” I leaned against the frame of her bed. “Did my dad call?”

“No, not once.”

“I suppose I should go home.”  
“Why don’t you hang tight for a bit? I’ll call him and ask him if you can stay for a bit longer. You definitely don’t want him to see your neck, he’ll freak.”

“Thanks.” I forced a smile and lied down on her floor.

She picked up the phone in her room and dialed my number. She told my dad that we didn’t get much sleep and that I was still out. He laughed and thanked her for the call. I actually closed my eyes and tried to forget everything that happened, but I couldn’t. It played out like a movie inside my head and it just wouldn’t stop.

“Did you want to spend the night Nina?” Elena asked after I sat there for thirty minutes in silence.

“If that’s okay.”

“I can invite Bonnie over.”

“That would be great.” I replied. “But I better ask Dad.” She handed me the phone. I took a deep breath before dialing.

“Ready to come home yet?” He asked, cheerfully.

“Elena was thinking about having a slumber party with Bonnie and I was wondering if it’s too much to ask if I stay another night?”

“You okay?” He asked curiously.

“Just tired.” I forced myself to sound somewhat happy. “But we’re having fun.”

“Won’t you need a change of clothes?”

“Bonnie could stop buy and get some on the way here.” I replied. “If you’re cool with that.”

“Yeah, okay.” He replied. “But I want you home for dinner tomorrow.”

“Got it.” I answered.

“Love ya kid.”

“Love you too, Dad.” He disconnected the call.

Elena got on the phone and called Bonnie right away, who immediately agreed to come over after getting a change of clothes for me. When she got off the phone she looked at me with a frown.

“Did you call the cops on the jerk who attacked you?”

“I’m fine…and yes we reported it but they got away and Sam blames himself.”

“Why?”  
“I don’t know. There were 3 of them, and he knows them somehow. He tried to fight them off but we were outnumbered. He figures it’s his fault that I got hurt.”

“But it’s not.”  
“You don’t have to tell me that…”

“That’s why he broke up with you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’re preaching to the choir.” I commented. “But look, don’t tell anyone.”

“People are going to know if they see your neck.”

“I’ll hide with a scarf or something.”

“Tell Bonnie.”

“I will but that’s it.”

“Fine.”

Bonnie was alarmed when I told her but she didn’t bug me for details. They both comforted me and tried to get me to elaborate more about why Sam broke things off but I wouldn’t budge. If Sam had dumped me because it was too dangerous to bring me into what he was exposed to—then I couldn’t let my best friends get involved in it. I told them I wasn’t ready to talk about it and that if or when I was ready they would be the first to know. They accepted it and tried to keep me distracted. I wore scarves until the marks on my neck healed up and thankfully my dad was none the wiser.

For the next few months everything was a blur. I had to put on a face so that people wouldn’t worry but I was sure they could see through my act anyway, especially Bonnie. I checked my email every day to see if Sam somehow had a change of heart but he never wrote me, not once. I never did tell anyone what happened but Bonnie knew something was off. She tried to talk to me about Sam or the breakup but I wouldn’t divulge anything, moreover I wasn’t entirely certain she would be safe even if I only told her. I filed it away in the back of my head while I remembered what it felt like to wake up beside Sam. The ache in my heart grew more pronounced each day and I didn’t think that was normal. Over time the pain should have gone away but it only seemed to increase. I tried to do things to keep myself busy so I wouldn’t think about it but it was no use. The only thing in my mind or heart was Sam Winchester and it wasn’t likely to go away. Interestingly enough, Tyler kept his distance for the most part. We would interact with our friends but otherwise he kept to himself. I was sure that Elena and Bonnie told him to give me some space and it wasn’t too hard to figure out just how much I was hurting when I barely smiled. I retreated to my similar routines from the start of the New Year and kept my nose in a book or schoolwork. I still went to the football games but I didn’t go to the after parties anymore. Elena and Matt would usually drive me home once the game was over. Dad knew something was wrong but when he tried to talk to me I told him I was fine and knowing he wouldn’t get any answers from me; he gave me some space. The twins tried to cheer me up but thankfully they were distracted with their own little world of homework and school friends.

Eventually, I lost track of how long it had been since I last saw Sam but my mind kept replaying that day and our altercation with the creepy guys. I thought about them a bit too much even though it was probably a bad idea. I began to wonder just what existed in our world that most of us were blissfully ignorant of and did we really want to know the truth about what was out there? Or did we just want to carry on with our mundane existence happy that our lives were boring and free from chaos? I knew I didn’t. The incident with those guys seemed to open my mind and made me worry about how safe Sam really was. The problem was that if I went snooping around for more information it might open a can of worms that I wasn’t ready to deal with. The other problem was that my senses were in overdrive and I walked around on alert, expecting something or someone to attack me. This made me intensify my martial arts training and I began to incorporate more weaponry in my skill set. I used swords, knives, and daggers and even took up archery. The weird thing is that I became naturally proficient with them. It felt like I was in the Matrix and it had been downloaded into my psyche. The more I learned the more I wanted to know. For some odd reason, I became obsessed with being fluent in every tactical, offensive fighting skill I could find out about. I concluded that if there were beings out there who were stronger, faster, and deadlier than what I knew… I had to be able to combat them effectively which was pretty intense for a girl just shy of turning sixteen but my dad didn’t complain. He relished the fact that I focused on training. It meant he could worry about me less.

I didn’t tell anyone about my training, they knew I took self-defense but not just how serious it was. Only my dad knew but I'm sure Bonnie suspected. I never really had to tell her anything without her already knowing something about it. One thing I was grateful for was that the training gave me confidence and a militant edge... although nobody really saw that side to me. I had no desire to unleash my fury on innocent people. I reserved that for whomever or whatever would attack the people I cared about. I remembered how I felt when I saw Sam being choked. He was seconds away from being killed and it ignited something within me that even in his absence still burned hot; like it was triggered to run constantly. I became inordinately passionate about protecting people, especially those who were important to me. I just wished that Sam hadn’t walked out of my life. Whatever he and his family were exposed to I knew I could help.

I tried not to think about him much but I couldn’t help it. I missed him so much. First loves are hard to get over because despite how much you try to move on or how much ground you think you cover... there is always a place in your heart for that person. Maybe I was young and naive but it didn’t mean that what I felt for Sam wasn’t real. It was the most honest, pure, and real thing I had felt since my mom died. Maybe we didn’t spend a lot of time together but the time we did have was extremely meaningful and personal. We formed a bond beyond anything I had ever known. People could say it was puppy love or a first crush or whatever label they wanted to throw on it but the bottom line was that meeting Sam forever changed me and there was no going back.

During the second week of October that I finally allowed myself to be more sociable again. I still kept up with my training and my studies but I ventured out more often with Elena, Bonnie and on occasion, Tyler. Sometimes Elena and Matt, Tyler and I would go out together. Oddly enough on those nights Bonnie never joined us. I wasn’t sure why but after too many coincidental nights of her leaving the four of us to ourselves I finally asked her if she was okay. The only explanation was that it had something to do with family stuff but she didn’t divulge exactly what that stuff was. I had the distinct impression that she intentionally stayed away so that Elena and I would have Matt and Tyler to ourselves. She knew that I felt empty since it seemed like Sam dropped off the face of the earth and I think it was her way of allowing me to find some solace or at least a distraction. I remembered that two weeks after the breakup she made some cryptic comment but never elaborated on the meaning behind it. All she said was _‘I know it hurts but eventually when all the pieces fall into place you will see the big picture and it will make sense.”_ What those pieces or the picture were she never told me but I knew her well enough that if she was subtly defending Sam’s actions there was a damn good reason behind it. The odd thing is that I didn’t know why she seemed to encourage me to spend time with Tyler if she thought that Sam and I had a future. I guess it all boiled down to Sam’s choice. For him and I to have a future together, certain obstacles had to be overcome. In my heart, I could see him and I going to college together and then wherever that path would lead to afterwards but he had to want it. I couldn’t force or manipulate him into making that choice but I also knew that I couldn’t wait forever either. I couldn’t put my life on hold for someone who abruptly left, even if it was for my own good.

As time wore on, without really intending to, I began to hang around Tyler by myself and more often, whether it was during our lunch breaks, between class and the after parties. Sure Elena, Matt and Bonnie were generally in the vicinity but I was unintentionally developing a certain fondness for his company. He never talked about Sam but there were moments when I could tell he studied my reaction or my expressions like he expected me to breakdown and cry. I was beyond that stage but there were times when it sometimes felt like my heart literally hurt from being broken. However; the more I hung around Tyler, the more the pain seemed to dull a bit and I actually felt better. It was an unexpected side effect and it wasn’t until he invited me to a picnic one day and I agreed that it occurred to me that I liked him more than I confessed. I didn’t tell anyone though, especially him, I kept it tucked away in a secret place, afraid of what would happen if I did in fact open up and tell him the truth.

It was the second week of November and a typical, cool, fall day when Tyler met me in the park with a picnic basket in tow. I smiled at him as he held it up to show me.

“You do realize that a guy holding up a picnic basket would be considered an incredibly romantic gesture?”

“Shhh!” He smirked. “I'm trying to maintain my egotistical jock persona. I can’t have anyone knowing I'm a sap.”

“Keep waving that thing around and the word is out.” I laughed and pointed at the picnic basket.

“Do you want to carry it?” He held it out to me.

“Nope—I'm all for tarnishing your jock persona.” I joked and he had a big grin on his face.

Unfortunately, that smile turned into a scowl after about thirty seconds.

“Wow... sorry... I was only joking.” I replied but he was staring behind me.

I turned to see Sam staring at us with a grim expression; if I didn’t know better he almost looked sad. My face flushed, my heart began beating erratically and the butterflies returned. I tried to keep my calm and make it look like it didn’t matter that he was there but my face gave away too much, I just knew it. Despite my straight face I knew he could see through my facade.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Tyler demanded angrily. “Come to push the knife in even further?” Whoa.

Sam didn’t reply and I gently put a hand on the side of Tyler’s arm.

“It’s okay.” I replied quietly.

“The hell it is! After what he did to you?”

“There’s more to the situation than meets the eye.” I replied calmly. “I just didn’t tell anyone about it.”

“So he didn’t treat you like shit and then take off?”

“Uh...well...”  
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He looked at Sam. “What’s your deal? Rope in some innocent girl and then throw her away when you don’t need her anymore?” Sam didn’t dispute it at all.

“That’s not what happened.” I replied.

“What did happen then?” Tyler looked at me intently.

“It’s complicated.” Sam replied, finally.

“I'm sure it is...” Tyler scoffed. “If you had any idea what you had—you sure as hell wouldn’t have let her go.”

“You’re right.” Sam nodded. 

I stood in front of Tyler and looked at him. Tyler clenched his right fist and his jaw was taut when he stared at Sam but the moment he looked at me his expression softened.

“Can you give us a few minutes please?” I asked quietly.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll be fine.” I motioned to the other town folk around us. “Nothing’s going to happen out here.” He nodded.

“I’ll pick up a few more things for the picnic.” He replied.

“Thanks.” I smiled.

“Watch yourself.” Tyler stated to Sam who didn’t even reply.

It wasn’t until Tyler was across the street at the grocery store that Sam began talking.

“You two dating now?” He asked with a scowl.

“Like that’s any of your business.” I retorted. “But no, I told you before that we’re just friends.”

“I saw the way you looked at him—that was more than friends.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes. “Bottom line you dumped my ass and ignored me. I never thought you were coming back, so please tell me why I owe you any kind of explanation?” I crossed my arms and he sighed.

“You’re right, about all of it. I handled everything badly.”

“You think?” I replied angrily. “You got scared and you ran.”

“I panicked and ran but... it was to protect you. I didn’t want anything to happen to you and I thought if you were with me you’d have a target on your back.”

“Because of those guys? Things? Whatever the hell they were?”

“Yes.”

“I can take care of myself.” I replied.

“What can I say?”

“Start off by telling me why you’re here.”

“I wanted to see you.”

“There’s this thing called email or the phone and it’s been months since you used either.”

“I know—I'm an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot but you have been acting like a jerk.”

“I can’t shut you out of my life anymore.”

“So in other words... ignoring me completely was a dumbass idea?” I asked angrily and he nodded.

“And for the record it gutted me to do it.”

“Not as much as being on the receiving end, believe me.”

“It won’t happen again.”

“And keeping me in the know??”

“I'm working on that.”

“Forget all your worries and fear and tell me for real what it is you really want...” I crossed my arms.

“I want to work things out.”

“But what about all this stuff you’re trying to keep me away from?”

“I'm trying to figure out a way around that.”

“Well when you figure it out, let me know.” I replied and walked away from him. He caught up to me and grabbed my arm.

“You told me not to shut you out.”  
“But you did.”

“Well... here I am asking you to let me try again.” I bit my lower lip. “I can’t change what I did or I would have done it by now but I can’t let you go, I tried but it didn’t work.”

“I'm not making any promises, Sam. You have to earn my trust again.”  
“Okay. Done.” He smiled.

“And you’re not going to tell me who I can or can’t hang around with.” I replied firmly. “You have to trust me or we’re done right now.”  
“Fine, _fine_! I can’t stand Tyler but it’s obvious he cares about you. I doubt he’d do anything to hurt you.”  
“He wouldn’t and don’t be angry with him for being mad about what you did.” He was about to reply when I interrupted. “I never gave anyone details. I just told them we broke up, nothing more...the reason he’s so pissed is that he saw how much it hurt when you left.”

“I was a dick.”

“You aren’t a dick, you acted like one but you’re not one and there is a difference.” He smiled at that. “Now if you would excuse me...I have a picnic to go to.”

“Whose idea?”  
“Doesn’t matter.” I replied and Sam’s lips went into a straight line. I arched an eyebrow. “ _Right_?”

“Right...” He nodded once.

“Okay.” I replied. “We’ll talk later.” I walked away before I could get suckered in by his puppy dog eyes.

I'm surprised that I held it together. I almost caved when I saw him walk over to us. I couldn’t show him that I was excited to see him because he had to know that what he did was wrong. It took everything within me to stand my ground but at least I succeeded. I took a deep breath, feeling proud of myself, and then walked across the street toward the grocery store that Tyler was in. It didn’t take long to find him.

“That was quick.” He commented. “Did you send him packing?” I bit my lower lip. “Seriously?”

“I didn’t make him any promises but I can’t shut him out.”

“You’re kidding, right? After what he did to you?” He whispered angrily.

“You really don’t know the whole story.”

“Does anyone?”

“Just me.” He frowned and then walked out of the store without buying anything and I followed. “Tyler...”

“You don’t see it, do you?” He faced me, annoyed.

“See what?”

“He’s bad for you.”

“You don’t even know him.”

“It’s what my gut says.”

“Your gut says he’s _bad_ for me? Really?”

“Yes. I know you’ll probably pass it off as jealousy but it’s not. I just don’t have a good feeling about him or his brother. Something seems off and I can’t put my finger on it... but I know in the long run it will kick you in the ass.”

I didn’t know what to say. He was completely sincere and I didn’t think he was lying either but what was it _he_ sensed that _I_ couldn’t?

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Tell me you’re not going to end up with him.”

“I don’t know that.”

“Yeah you do.” He sighed unhappily. “You just don’t want to admit it.”

“It’s not that black and white. Obviously, I can’t be with someone who’s never around. It’s different if it’s temporary but long term—no.”

“It’s more than that. It’s like you’re looking for something to fill the void in your heart and for some reason you think it’s him.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because I felt the same way... until...” He sighed again. “Never mind...doesn’t matter.”

“Tyler, I care about you...you know I do.”

“I know that you feel like yourself when you’re with me and that you’re not as unhappy as you were.”

“That’s true.”  
“But... then he appears and there’s something about him that draws you in, like a fly to a spider’s web.” That was a creepy analogy.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because for some reason I can’t help but feel that your being with him will lead you straight to hell.” Wow.

“That’s a terrible thing to say!” I exclaimed. “He’s nothing remotely close to being evil.”

“I'm not saying it would be on purpose.”

“I don’t get why you feel this way suddenly.”

“I felt it from the first day he showed up at our school.” He handed me the picnic basket. “But I can tell that you’re going to have to find out the hard way. Hopefully you’ll come to your senses while you still have time to make things right.”

He abruptly left and I felt a piercing in my heart. I probably stood there for a good ten minutes in shock before Sam’s voice broke me from my thoughts.

“Everything okay?” He asked, staring down at me. I looked up at him and thought about what Tyler said.

“We had a fight.”

“He doesn’t trust me.”

“He thinks that in the long run you’ll hurt me.”

“I promise you that I’ll do everything to prevent that.” He was sincere. “For what it’s worth, I'm sorry.”

I sighed and looked down at the picnic basket. I wasn’t really hungry anymore. I looked back up at Sam.

“So you have a day pass?”

“I have more than that actually.”

“How much more?”

“A couple of weeks.” Wow. That was good news.

“Where are Dean and your dad?”

“Working a job about ten hours away.”

“And they just agreed to let you stay here by yourself?”

“Dad gave me enough cash to get a motel room and I told them I’d be in school. Of course if they need help with research I'm their go-to guy.”

“I'm surprised they left you here alone.”

“I was too but if things go sour Dad said he knew someone in the area.”

“Who?”

“He didn’t say. It was an _in case of emergency break glass_ type of thing.”

“Huh...well at least we’ll have some privacy.” I smiled. “You’re really going to come back to school?”

“I already met with the principal and told him about our travelling situation. He reviewed my records and gave me the okay.” I tried to reign in my enthusiasm but it was hard to keep a smile off my face.

“I also asked if I could be in your classes since you are the only person I really know here.”

“I'm not the only person you know here.”

“Yes but I didn’t think it was appropriate to name Bonnie or Elena as my contacts and I know it wouldn’t have gone over well if I mentioned Matt or Tyler.”

“True.”

“Although I'm sure they’ll be pissed I'm back.”

“Matt might be okay... Tyler doesn’t trust you.”  
“He has good reason, I guess.”

“No... he doesn’t. He’s paranoid that you’re bad news or something.” Sam didn’t reply. “I obviously disagree...but you _are_ on probation.” He smiled.

“That’s fair.” He replied and looked at the picnic basket again.

“Since Tyler ditched me... we could have our own picnic...”

“That would be great.” He replied and reached for it.

I put it into his hand and we walked to his truck. He unlocked it, helped me inside, and then put the picnic basket on my lap. He got in the other side.

“There’s a great spot by the motel that we could go to.” He stated as he started the truck.

“Sounds good to me.”

And just like that it everything fell back into place. I swore to myself that he was on probation but the second we were in the truck the protective barrier I set up came crashing down and I couldn’t help it. There are just some people who are destined to be a part of your life and he was one of them. I didn’t understand it but we just picked up from where we left off as though he never left in the first place. We didn’t have anything figured out and we didn’t know what the future held except that we were supposed to be in each other’s lives, to some degree. Elena was happy that he was back and so was Bonnie but she studied him intently like she saw something we didn’t. Matt tolerated him because of us and Tyler was civil but made no effort to make him feel welcome. I spoke with him a few times to convince him that Sam wasn’t the bad guy he painted him out to be but he barely listened. He wasn’t angry with me but he couldn’t pretend he was okay with everything even though he was dead set against it. I respected his feelings and made it a point to keep the affection between Sam and I at a minimum when he was around. Sam understood and never once made a big deal about it. He was probably the most considerate guy I had ever known which only confirmed that Tyler had to be wrong about him. How could someone who is so conscientious of everyone else’s feelings be the guy who would lead me _straight to hell_? It made no sense. When Sam avoided me, it hurt but when we were together—he was the sweetest guy and it just seemed improbable that he would ever hurt me, at least not in the way that Tyler insinuated. I never told Sam what he said but it lingered at the back of my mind. Dad still had no clue about Sam but it was pointless to tell him about Sam if he was leaving anyway.

Sam’s timing was impeccable though; the day before he was supposed to leave he asked me to the school dance. I agreed and got ready at Elena’s house with Bonnie. Matt drove us there. When we got out I lingered in the parking lot, looking around for Sam.

“We’ll see you inside.” Elena smiled and Matt nodded.

“I won’t be long.” I replied.

“Take your time.” Bonnie added and walked off with them.

When he showed up, he was dressed in a suit, with his hair brushed back. He looked beautiful and smelled amazing.

“You look very pretty.” He commented.

“And you clean up good.” I replied and touched the tie. He laughed.

“I don’t dress up very often.”

“Well it suits you.” I chuckled and he laughed at the pun.

“Don’t get used to it.”

“I kind of want to.” I replied.

“You’re the only one I’d ever get dressed up for.”

“Good.” I replied.

“So… shall we?” He looked at the entrance.

“Yes.”

We walked inside, arm in arm. It was the first dance I had gone to but it felt nice to be out in public with him and not worried about who saw. We had a great time. Elena spent most of her time with Matt, Bonnie ran into a friend of hers from out of town, Kent, and Tyler ended up with Vicki—not that I could blame him. Vicki was a sweet girl, messed up a bit, but nice. They wandered off on their own while the rest of us shared a table, ate, and danced periodically. When the dance was ending, Sam escorted me back to his truck. We stood in front of it for a moment and stared at each other. He leaned down to kiss me when I heard a rustling in the bush behind us and it startled me. He turned around to see what it was and the next thing I knew someone had grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth. Damn but he was strong and fast, and for some strange reason I couldn’t pull his hand away. I tried to bite it but I tasted something horrendous and I struggled to break free.

“Nina?” I heard Sam calling but it seemed so far away from where we were.

I looked around and we were in the forest. I could hear him sniffing my hair and then suddenly I felt him bite my neck. It hurt like hell. I thought I felt him sucking, not chewing, but either way I let out a muffled scream and I was about to panic when I heard something behind us. There was a sound of a loud thud and suddenly the grasp on my mouth released and I stumbled to the ground. When I looked up I saw Tyler smash the guy a few more times with a huge piece of wood. He didn’t stop until the guy was out cold. Then he dropped it and ran over to me.

“Are you okay?” He bent down to look at me.

“I think so...” I mumbled and put a hand on my neck.

“Who the hell is that guy?” He asked.

“No idea.”

“You’re lucky I saw him take you into the woods.” He looked at my mouth and frowned. “I think you’re starting to bruise.” He gently put a hand on the side of my face.

“Wow you’re fast.” I blurted and put my hand down.

“School jock, remember?” He smirked that’s when he noticed my neck bleeding. “Omigod! He bit you? For real? What is he? A freaking zombie?”

He removed his dress shirt and tore it into strips. He tied a strip around my neck and watched the wound. I should have been freaking out, heck I should have begun to cry but for some reason I wasn’t surprised that I was attacked and that was weird. I looked into his concerned eyes and I smiled.

“Thank you.” I replied quietly.

“I'm always here for you.” He replied quietly. “You know that right?” I nodded.

“I'm sorry about…” My voice tapered off while I felt fuzzy.

“Don’t sweat it, Nina.”

He tried to help me up but I staggered. I felt lightheaded and almost lost my balance. I felt him pick me up and carry me. He walked slowly out of the woods and there was a small crowd by the parking lot. Sam ran up to us, followed by Elena, Matt and Bonnie.

“What the hell happened?” Sam asked urgently.

“Some butt ugly dude took her into the forest.” Tyler commented. Sam glared toward the woods. “Don’t worry, I took care of him.”

“How?” He asked.

“I hit him with a thick tree branch—he’s out.”

“We need to call the police.” Elena said urgently.

“What happened to her neck?” Matt asked and Sam’s eyes widened when he noticed.

“He bit her.” Tyler replied disgusted. “I mean really... _what the hell_?”

“Omigod.” Elena commented.

Bonnie stared at me, Tyler, and Sam but didn’t say a word. Sam reached for me and Tyler put me into his arms.

“You should take her to the hospital.” Tyler commented. “And we should call her dad.”

“No.” I replied emphatically as I began to gain consciousness.

“But Nina... you were kidnapped.” Elena stated.

“And bitten.” Matt added with a disgusted expression.

“I'm fine really.” I motioned for Sam to put me down and he did, hesitantly but he held onto my waist. “Keep this off the radar.” I replied sternly. I noticed a small crowd heading toward us, slowly.

“Why?” Matt asked. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“I don’t know...just a feeling I got.” I replied.

“She’s right.” Bonnie added finally.

“There’s a psycho zombie out there going after people and you want us to keep quiet about it?” Tyler was shocked.

“I know it doesn’t make sense but I don’t want the whole town worried.”

“They should be worried.” Elena replied. “They need to know about the walking dead.”

“He wasn’t a zombie.” I replied.

“Well he wasn’t a Gap employee.” Tyler retorted. “What kind of twisted dude goes around biting chicks?”

Sam was mysteriously quiet on the matter and I could tell he was deep in thought.

“Fine. We’ll report it.” I turned to Sam. “Why don’t you go back to your place and I’ll call you later.”

“Like hell.” He commented. “I'm coming with you.”

“I'm going to be a couple of hours, at least... plus if Dad shows up he’ll give you the third degree.”

“It’s not Sam’s fault what happened.” Elena commented.

“Like that will matter.” I sighed. “Trust me.”

“She’s right. With what they’ve been through he’ll be on edge.” Bonnie added. “He’ll want someone to blame.”

“Fine.” Sam muttered angrily. I faced the rest of them.

“Call the police and my dad.” I turned to Tyler. “You’re a witness; they’re going to want to speak to you.”

“Fine by me.” He replied.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” I answered and tugged on Sam’s arm.

We walked back to the truck on high alert and stopped when we got to the front of it.

“I don’t want to leave you.” He was worried.

“You have to, I can’t let dad know you’re here... trust me he’ll find a way to blame you.”

“Did you get a look at the guy?”

“Not really—it was too dark. I did see Tyler beat the hell out of him though.”

“Good.” He commented. “But I am surprised you didn’t manage to get away.”

“He was freakishly strong. He had a hand over my mouth and when I tried to bite it to get away; it tasted gross, like a sewer probably would.” His brow furrowed as he looked at the torn strip of shirt on my neck. “You need to get that looked at.” He pointed to it. “Lucky for you Tyler saw him take you.”

“Yeah really.”

“Whatever attacked you was fast.” _Huh...he said whatever, not whomever. Interesting._

“I know...but Tyler’s an athlete so he was able to catch up. Tyler hit him from behind and the guy released me. I fell to the ground and that was it.”

“I should get going before everyone shows up.” He replied.

I grabbed him and pulled him close. I kissed him without hesitating and he reciprocated. When we finished, he smiled.

“Despite the chaos, I had a great night.” I gushed.

“Yeah me too.”

“I’ll call you later.”

“You better.”

“Don’t worry—I will.”

I walked back to my friends and then watched Sam drive off. Thankfully Elena kept the crowd at bay. When Sam was gone I must have looked worried because Tyler put an arm around me.

“You’re safe now.” He replied.

“You got that right.” Matt agreed.

“We have to leave Sam out of this.” I commented.

“What?” Tyler frowned. “ _Why_?”

“Because I don’t want this getting back to my dad.”

“Your dad doesn’t know you’re seeing Sam?” Matt asked.

“No and I want to keep it that way.”

“I don’t get it. What’s the big deal?” Tyler asked.  
“You don’t have to get it.” Elena interjected. “It’s her decision.”

“If he has nothing to hide why won’t you tell your dad about him?”

“Because it will complicate matters.” Bonnie chimed in. “Leave it alone.” She added firmly.

“Okay... fine. I won’t say a thing.” Tyler grumbled unhappily.

Finally after all the commotion, a few teachers came out and headed toward us. When they saw me, one of them called 911 right away. The other two frowned as he watched Tyler apply a new strip of his dress shirt to my neck wound.

“The police and the paramedics are on the way.” The first teacher replied. “Why don’t you come and sit inside?”

“We’re coming with you.” Bonnie stated and I nodded.

The police showed up only minutes later and so did my dad, who was freaking out. He ran over to me and when he saw the bandage on my neck began shooting questions at me faster than I could answer. My friends backed up to give him some room. The officer stopped writing in his notepad.

“What the hell happened and who did this to you?” Dad asked angrily.

“Um... I... don’t know who it was...I couldn’t see his face; it was too dark.”

He gently pulled the strip of shirt down my neck, frowned and then put it back into place. He looked behind him at my friends.

“Did any of you see what happened?” He asked anxiously. Tyler stepped forward.

“I saw some creepy, ugly dude take her into the woods and I immediately followed.”

“Did you get a good look at him?”

“No but I beat the hell out of him.” Tyler replied. The officer frowned.

“You realize he saved my life, right?” I replied to the officer. “If it wasn’t for Tyler...who knows what else he would’ve done.”

Dad did something that shocked the hell out of me. He walked over to Tyler, extended his hand and when Tyler took it, they shook but he pulled him into a quick hug.

“Thank you for saving her.” He stated and pulled away.

“I’d never let anything happen to her.” Tyler replied instantly. Dad studied him, smiled and then faced me.

“I like your friend.” He replied and then looked back at him. “You’ve got guts. That guy could’ve had a weapon and killed you.”

“I don’t scare very easily.” Tyler replied.

“Apparently.” Dad replied with a bit of a smile. What was _apparent_ is that my dad liked him. _A lot_.

He calmed down after a moment and let the officer get a statement. The paramedics walked in the room at that point and began treating the wound. They arched their eyebrows when they saw the bite marks but didn’t say a word. It didn’t take them long to disinfect, give me a tetanus shot, and then apply a bandage to the affected area. Dad watched intently but said nothing. The police took notes of the wounds.

About 20 minutes later a few other officers walked into the room.

“We can’t find the perpetrator anywhere.” One of them said.

“That’s impossible.” Tyler exclaimed. “I knocked him out cold.” More like beat him to a pulp.

“Well he obviously snapped out of it and decided to take off before we showed up.” Another officer piped up.

“Huh.” I replied; my brow furrowed.

“What?” My dad asked.

“Nothing.” I shook my head. I could tell from Tyler’s expression that he was suspicious that the guy disappeared.

“People don’t just get knocked out and get up and run away.” Tyler commented.

“It’s called an adrenaline rush.” One of the officer’s replied, condescendingly.

I stared into space for a moment trying not to relive the incident. I closed my eyes and tried to think if there was anything I could remember that would be pertinent but nothing came to mind. I sat there quietly while my friends took their turns giving a statement to the police. All I wanted to do was talk to Sam. There was a feeling in the pit of my stomach that he knew more about this incident than anyone else but I couldn’t discuss it with everyone else there.

“Are we done here?” Dad asked. “I’d like to take my daughter home.”

The officer nodded and my dad motioned for us to leave. Everyone followed us out of the building to the parking lot. Dad looked at my worried friends.

“I’ll give you a few minutes.” He said and walked toward the car.

I nodded and faced the gang. Vicki was nowhere to be found and I thought that was weird.

“Are you really okay?” Elena asked.

“Honestly? No but at least I have you guys.”

“How right you are.” Bonnie gave me a hug.

“You’re stuck with us.” Matt smiled and gave me a hug. Tyler just stared at me, quietly, full of mixed emotions.

“Why don’t you call us tomorrow after you get some rest?” Bonnie smiled.

“Okay.” I nodded and she motioned for Elena and Matt to follow her, which they did.

Tyler looked worried, very worried. He stood in front of me and gently took my hand. I didn’t pull it away.

“You saved my life, Tyler.” I stated as I looked up into his eyes.

“I meant what I said to your dad, I’ll never let anything happen to you.” That was incredibly sweet.

“Why would you go to all that trouble?”

“You know why.”

“But...”

“Can you honestly say you don’t have feelings for me?” He stared at me, determined not to leave until I replied. 

“No... but I'm with Sam.”

“Sam didn’t just save your life, did he?”

“He did before...” I blurted without thinking.

“Wait... _what_?”

“Nothing... forget it.” I was about to walk away but he stopped me and tightened his grip on my hand.

“What do you mean?” He lowered his voice. “Did something else happen to you?”

“Almost.” I whispered.

“When?”

“Months ago... and if it wasn’t for Sam, I would be dead right now.” He sighed and released my hand. “But nobody else knows and it has to stay that way.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want people walking around paranoid about my safety.”

“Did the same guy attack you?”

“No and I don’t want to get into it.” He frowned.

“It’s like you have a target on your back or something.”

“Feels that way but I'm sure it’s coincidental.”

“How so?”

“Because the other incident happened hours away from here and under completely different circumstances.”

“So it wasn’t related.”

“No.”

“Did you report it then?”

“Yes but they never caught the guys.”

“Guys?” He asked. “There were more than one?” I shook my head.

“I can’t get into it...” I looked at the car and dad was staring at us. “Tyler, I have to go.”

“Fine.” He abruptly hugged me and for a moment I returned it.

For some odd reason, the warmth from his embrace comforted me and I felt some of the tension ooze out of my pores. When he pulled away he looked down at me.

“If anything like that happens again... you better tell me.” I didn’t answer. “I mean it.”

“Okay, okay.” I replied and quickly walked over to the car and got inside.

“He’s protective of you.” Dad replied.

“Yeah.” I replied quietly.

“He cares about you a lot.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You care about him too... don’t you?” He put the car into gear and began to pull away. I waved at Tyler.

“Um...”

“Look... I know we never had _the talk_ but after I watched him tonight, I can honestly say that if you want to go out with him—I wouldn’t have a problem with it.” Wow. I so didn’t see that coming.

“Seriously?”

“Nina… he didn’t think twice about saving you. He went into the woods not knowing what he was going to face. Fact is he could’ve been killed... any guy willing to do that for a girl he’s not dating is okay in my book.”

“How do you know we’re not dating?” I asked with a smirk.

“I could tell by your body language... you appeared to hold back.” I didn’t answer. “Is it because of that Steve guy?” WTF? My eyes widened. “Relax. Andrew let it slip by accident and as I said before, I'm not angry.” Phew.

“Yeah...it does have to do with him.”

“I’m just curious how it could work if you never see him.”

“We stay in touch by email and he said he’d try to visit.”

“Honey, I don’t doubt that you care about Steve but if he doesn’t even live in the same country, let alone the same city, how can you have a real relationship with him?” My eyes bulged again. “No dad likes the idea of his daughter dating anyone but if I was going to pick someone for you—it wouldn’t be a guy you hardly see.”

“Is that your subtle way of telling me I should be with Tyler?”

“I'm not telling you to be with anyone, that’s up to you. I'm just stating the obvious... Tyler cares about you, and you care about him—and I’d sleep a lot easier if you dated a guy like him because I know he’d have your best interests at heart.”

“You got all that from tonight?”

“Yes and from everything he didn’t say.”

“I’ll consider it.” I replied to appease him and he smiled. “But I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Fair enough.”

By the time we got home and I got ready for bed, it had been a couple of hours since I last saw Sam. When I was certain that dad was asleep I called him. He picked up on the first ring.

“Thank God.” He exclaimed. “I was getting worried.”

“Sorry... I had to give my statement to the police, the paramedics had to treat the wound and of course my dad showed up.”

“Are you okay?”

“No, Sam I'm really not. I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“That makes two of us.” He replied. “It’s like you’ve got a target on your back.” _Huh...first Tyler, now him._

“No... I just have bad luck. Besides the first time... those guys were after your dad, remember? I just got in the way.”

“True.”

“Sam, I need some answers.”

“About what?”

“About what it was that attacked me.”

“Some crazy ass psycho.”

“No, don’t do that... we both know there was more to him than just that.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on. I didn’t see him. All I know is that he was fast. He grabbed you and took off before I got a glimpse.”

“We’re not dealing with something human... are we?” He didn’t reply. “Sam, cut the crap and just be honest with me.” He sighed and finally answered.

“No, especially after I saw the piercings on your neck.”

“What was it?”

“I don’t want to say what I think it was, it’s probably better that you don’t know.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes... especially if I'm trying to protect you...” He paused for a moment. “How do you feel? Are you okay?”

“How do I feel? I'm freaking out because someone bit me and you’ve just cryptically insinuated that monsters are real but you won’t elaborate on that fact.”

“I can’t if I want to keep you safe.”

“I think that ship has already sailed, I’ve been attacked twice and I'm guessing the first incident was with a different species than the one from tonight.”

“Yes, they were different.”

“Why won’t you give me details?”

“The less you know the better.”

“That doesn’t help me.”

“It is helping if I don’t get you involved.”

“I’ve already been attacked—how am I not already involved?”

“It could’ve been worse, _much_ worse.”

“I'm such an idiot.” I commented. “ _Pest control_... what you really meant is that your family hunts monsters, right?”

“Uh...”

“If you don’t give me a straight answer I'm going to hang up right now.”

“Okay! Fine, yes! We hunt monsters but I can’t drag you into this.”

“Because it’s _safer_.” I sighed.

“Yes. Look... there are a hell of a lot worse things out there than the last two you’ve come across and if they find out your weakness they will use it against you.” That’s when I clued in, finally.

“That’s it isn’t it? I'm your weakness.”  
“Not like that. I'm more worried about you getting killed by the things we hunt just because you know me.”  
“And that’s why you blew me off after the first attack.”

“Yes because I couldn’t risk exposing you to the others if they just happened to catch your scent from the ones I killed. They know who we are but not you and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“So you were ignoring me to save my life?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. You really were protecting me.”

“You have no idea, really... but apparently, I'm not the only one. Tyler’s looking out for you too and I have to say that after tonight, it’s a good thing he is.”

“Yeah, sure.” I replied uneasily.

“Why the tone?” He asked warily.

“Well when Dad found out about Tyler saving me he all but married me off to him.”

“Huh.”

“For the record... I choose you.”

“But your dad doesn’t know the truth about what’s out there. If he knew what I did, what we really did, he wouldn’t want you within 100 miles of me.”

“If he really knew you like I do he’d feel the opposite.” He was quiet for a few minutes. “Sam?”

“Maybe we’re just kidding ourselves, Nina.”

“About what?”

“Let’s be real. I can’t offer you anything worthwhile. Our lives are always up in the air and at any given moment one of us could get killed.”

“Don’t say that.” I replied sternly.

“It’s true and I sure as hell won’t drag you into the line of fire.”

“You better not be dumping me again because I don’t care what time it is, I’ll go over there right now and kick your ass.”

“No... it’s not like that but I have to be honest. We’re not going to have a normal relationship for who knows how long.”

He had a point but I didn’t want to let him go. I wanted to have some sort of relationship with him, even if it wasn’t conventional.

“Then I’ll take what I can get.”

“You deserve more.”

“So you do but until life gives us that chance why don’t we just leave it open ended?”

“You’re suggesting we don’t be mutually exclusive?”

“Um _no_. I have no plans to see anyone else. I just think we need to look at this from a different perspective. You’re right, we can’t have a normal relationship and thus we need a different set of boundaries, ones that don’t put any pressure on us to set unrealistic expectations. We tailor it to suit us. We can stay in touch by phone, email and see each other when the opportunity arises but even if there are gaps that go for months on end... it doesn’t mean we’ve written each other out of our lives, we’ll just pick up where we left off.”

“You’ll never be written out of my life, that’s for damn sure.” Wow he was firm on that point.

“I'm pretty confident that one day we’ll figure out a way to make this work but for now if this is all we can do, then so be it.”

“Wow.” He replied, stunned. “You’re handling this better than I thought.”

“It helps I know the truth about what you really do now. Before I thought you just had cold feet and were making up excuses to keep me at a distance.”

“Seriously? Did you not pay attention to how I felt about you?”

“Yeah but there was a part of me that thought you might meet someone else when you travelled and I might be an afterthought.”

“I'm not Dean.” He replied firmly. “I don’t go after a different girl all the time.”

“All I knew is that you had secrets you couldn’t tell me about because you were trying to protect me. The secrecy scared me because I feel something for you that I’ve never felt before and I didn’t want to get hurt again. I didn’t want to lose the only person I have a real connection to.”

“You won’t lose me.”

“Well you won’t lose me either.”

“Okay.” I replied. “I'm glad that’s settled.”

“I'm leaving tomorrow.” He replied grimly.

“I know and our last night was cut short by some monster that bit me.”

“Which reminds me... did the cops figure out it wasn’t human?”

“Um...” I replied hesitantly.

“What?”

“It was gone when they got there.”

“Damn it!” He exclaimed.

“I'm fine.”

“No you’re not! It has your scent and it can lead others to you.”

“You think there are more of them?”

“They rarely wander alone. They usually have some kind of nest or hideout they stay in.”

“Nest?”

“Never mind, my point is that there is usually more than one.” He sounded worried.

“Relax, I’ll be fine.”

“I’ve gotta go.”

“What? Sam—” Click.

He hung up before I could reply. That wasn’t a good sign. I had a feeling that he was going to go after it. I looked at the clock. It was 11:30 pm. I put the phone down and snuck out into the hall, hoping to sneak out and see Sam but I heard voices.

“Damn it!” That was my dad. “How did they even find her?” He added. “I’ve kept a low profile.” WTF?

“Calm down.” That sounded like John, our family friend. “It could be a fluke.”

“Seriously?”

“By the description in the police report it sounds like a nomad.”

“There’s always more than one.”

“Usually but not always.”

I decided to walk down the stairs quietly to see if I could find out what the heck they were talking about but the squeaky floor gave me away and I sighed unhappily. Not even a second later they were at the foot of the stairs.

“Are you alright?” Dad asked as I walked down to greet them.

“I'm fine... just needed something to drink.” I looked at John. “Hey.” I smiled.

“Come here.” He smiled and gave me a big hug. He pulled away and looked at the bandage on my neck.

“Yup... I attract freaks, apparently.” I tried to joke but they looked at each other grimly.

“Can I look at it?” He asked and Dad nodded but he waited for my permission.

“Sure.” He gently pulled the bandage down and frowned, then put it back in place.

“Did they catch him?” John asked.  
“No.” I replied but I was sure he already knew that.

“I heard your friend caught up to him and saved you?” John asked curiously. I nodded.

“Tyler... he’s on the football team.”

“Explains the speed and strength.” John replied.

“Yeah... he’s really ripped.” I answered without thinking and John smirked while my Dad’s eyes widened. “Um... I meant he’s fit, physically fit. In shape...” I stammered.

“I know what you mean.” John tried not to smile any more than he already was.

“He’s a good kid.” Dad stated. “And he’s very protective of her.” This impressed John.

“Exactly how a boyfriend should be.” John replied.

“No—he’s not my boyfriend, we’re just friends.” I interrupted.

“Oh—I thought you and the English guy broke up.” He replied.

“We’re figuring things out.”

“Take it from an ex-marine. You don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t stick around for long; it’s not easy on the family.”

“It’s not like it’s going to be like this forever.” I replied confidently and they arched an eyebrow.

“Are you making plans for the future?” Dad asked.

“Well... no... it’s just that sure yeah maybe now it’s hard to see or talk to each other but down the road things could change.”

“So you don’t like Tyler?” John asked, unconvinced.

“Um... well he’s a great guy...” I stammered which revealed more than I let on. They smiled.

“I see. Well let me give you a piece of advice about men...”

“Okay.” Even if I did object John was going to tell me anyway. That’s just how he was.

“If your Dad is saying Tyler is a good kid then you should trust him because he’s a great judge of character.” I nodded but didn’t reply. “Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and make sure you were okay.”

“Thanks.” I smiled. “Too bad you couldn’t stay.”

“Not this time, sorry. I was just passing through when I heard what happened.” He looked at Dad. “But I’ll keep my eyes peeled for anything weird.” Dad nodded.

Dad walked him to the porch and I went into the kitchen for a glass of water. When I finished I walked back upstairs. I was uneasy. The thought that some monster was still out there kind of freaked me out more than I let on but I didn’t want Sam to worry about me and yet I was worried. If it had my scent... what would stop it from coming after me again? Or maybe this time attack the twins or my dad? I began pacing back and forth. I tried calling Sam again but it went straight to voicemail. I left him a brief message.

_“Tell me you’re not going to do something stupid and get yourself killed.”_

A knock on the door startled me and Dad walked inside.

“What’s up Dad?”

“I have to do something.” I looked at the clock.

“It’s almost midnight.”

“I know... but look I’ve asked your friend to come over and keep an eye on you.”

“You... _what?_ ”

“I can’t risk leaving you and the twins here alone but John needs me for something.”

“Bullcrap.” I replied instantly.

“Excuse me?” He arched an eyebrow.

“You’re going to try to find that guy, aren’t you?”

“No.”

“Dad...”

“We’re going to see if we can find out more about him and talk to the police.”

“Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds? The guy tried to kill me and you’re going to try to find him?”

“No... I said we’re going to find out more about him. It’s obvious the police have no leads.”

“Since when did you become a private detective?”

“Since your Mom died.” Ouch. “And it’s not a crime to want to catch the creep who attacked my daughter.” Good point. I heard the doorbell. 

“I can’t believe you actually invited Tyler to come over.”

“Hey... it’s obvious he can hold his own and I’d feel a lot better if he was looking out for you.”

“Fine.”

I shut the light off in my bedroom and walked down the stairs with Dad. John was talking with Tyler and then smiled up at me.

“You know how to pick them.” John stated with a grin and I frowned. He chuckled.

“Hey Nina.” Tyler smiled. “Um... this is okay, right? That I'm here...”

“Of course it is.” Both John and my dad replied simultaneously but Tyler was staring at me.

“Yeah, it’s fine... I mean you did save my life. I have a better chance with you here than being alone.”

“I'm not sure how long we’ll be gone but you can crash on the couch if you want.” Dad volunteered.

“Okay.” Tyler replied quietly.

“But keep your hands to yourself.” John added firmly.

“Yes sir.” Tyler replied respectfully.

“Good.” Dad answered and he gave me a hug. “If you need me call the cell.”

“I will.” After they left I sighed.

“Wow. I'm really sorry about this Tyler.”

“Are you kidding? You’re lucky to have a dad who cares about you so much.”

“I'm sure the last thing you want to do is babysit me.” He chuckled.

“Come on.” He playfully pushed me. “You know it’s not like that.”

“At least I like you.” I replied with a smile.

“Where’s Sam?”

“Oh...well it’s his last night before he has to go so...”

“So if it was me I’d be right here with you, soaking up every moment I could before I had to leave.”

“Not with my dad around.”

“Oh right—I forgot you don’t want him to know... I don’t get that—he seems pretty cool.”

“That’s because you saved my life tonight. As far as him and John are concerned you walk on water now.”

“I think I remember seeing John before.”

“Yeah... he’s an old family friend. My dad’s known him since before I was born.”

“He sure cares about you.”

“We’re like family.”

“You have a great family.” He replied.  
“I’m lucky.”

I walked from the hall into the living room and he followed me after removing his coat. We sat on the couch and I turned on the TV.

“Aren’t you tired? I mean you were almost some psycho’s meal?”

“I'm so not tired, actually.”

“What do you want to watch?”

“Something funny.”

I clicked through the channels until I came across a few comedies. I put the remote down and leaned back. He did the same. He seemed to relax after a few minutes and, without thinking, I sat closer to him. He moved a bit closer and put an arm around the back of my shoulders. I leaned my head against him and lost myself in the show, feeling safe in his arms. I probably shouldn’t have done that but I couldn’t help it. Just being near him removed my anxiety and put me at ease. After a moment, I pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I probably shouldn’t sit so close to you.”

“Why the hell not? You’ve just been through a trauma—you need all the comfort you can get.”

“Sam wouldn’t like it.”

“I think Sam would understand that you’re scared and need to relax.”

“I'm not scared.”

“Seriously?” He rolled his eyes. “Who do you think you’re talking to? We didn’t just meet yesterday.”

“Fine. I'm nervous... but more than that I'm worried about my dad and John.”

“They’ll be fine, I saw the guns.”

“What?” My eyes widened.

“You think they should go out there unarmed after what happened to you tonight?”

“No...but... guns? Plural?”

“Relax. If it’s any consolation—they seem to know what they’re doing.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can tell this isn’t the first time they’ve faced something creepy.” Huh...

“Well my dad does go hunting.”

“Figured as much—I'm sure John does too. They handle their weapons like a couple of pros. I'm sure they’ve come across a lot worse than a crazy guy, probably some grizzlies or something.” He had a point and I sat back. “So... there’s nothing to be worried about.” He put his arm around me again and I moved back to my original position.

It wasn’t a crime to feel safe after you’d been attacked, right? Sam would understand that’s all it was, right? Well I would have to make sure he knew.

Meanwhile we settled comfortably on the couch and forgot about everything else. After a while I abruptly became exhausted and fell asleep on his shoulder. He didn’t move. He kept his arm around me protectively and just kept watching TV.

Maybe a couple of hours later I heard a loud smashing sound that startled me awake. Tyler was on his feet immediately and seemingly ready for anything. I slowly stood up. He put his hand in front of me, trying to keep me from going anywhere.

“Stay behind me.” He whispered and grabbed my hand while he began walking slowly out of the living room.

We walked into the hall and he quickly gazed at the front door, which was still locked, then he looked down the hall toward the kitchen. His nose twitched, which seemed odd to me. He frowned at that point and stopped.

“Do you have a panic room?” He whispered.

“Not that I'm aware of.”

“I think you need to hide somewhere.”

“No.” I replied stubbornly.

“I'm trying to protect you.”

“You think I'm going to leave you alone with some psycho?”

He rolled his eyes but knew that I wasn’t going to change my mind. He pulled me behind him while he walked toward the kitchen. He stopped when he reached the doorway. We could see glass on the floor. The window of the back door was smashed to bits and the door itself was open but the kitchen was empty.

“Damn it.” He muttered.

“I have to call Dad.” I replied and ran into the living room with Tyler on my heels.

“No! You need to get out of here.”

I picked up the phone and was about to dial Dad’s cell when the power went out, including the dial tone.

“Fuck.” Tyler commented and he stood beside me.

The moonlight shined into the living room so at least it wasn’t pitch black but just as we were about to walk out of the room that’s when we noticed a figure facing us.

“Get out of here!” Tyler yelled but when I turned to run I felt a grip on my wrist.

I tried to pull it away but the grip was tight and it hurt.

“Let her go!” Tyler growled.

The guy seemed distracted by Tyler for a moment and it enabled me to give him a swift kick in the midsection which made him release my wrist. He growled. Uh-oh...that wasn’t a good sign. I backed up to where Tyler was standing and he gently pulled me behind him as he picked up an iron poker from beside the fireplace. He held it in his hands and glared at the guy.

“Nina... get out of here... right now.”

“She’s not going anywhere.” The creepy stranger stated.

Right at that moment he stepped closer and as the moonlight shined on his face he smiled. That’s when a second set of teeth, almost like fangs, appeared.

“What the hell?” Tyler exclaimed.

“Omigod!” I replied.

“What are you doing Nina? Get out of here and now!”

I couldn’t move. I stared at the tall, creepy monster. It didn’t look like the same guy who attacked me earlier but it didn’t really matter, he was standing before us, fangs exposed like he was going to have us for dinner. I actually felt frightened this time. Tyler gave me a shove to snap me out of my trance.

  
“Go!” He yelled and he kept swinging the iron poker at the guy.

I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a butcher knife... I just couldn’t leave Tyler alone with that guy. I ran back into the living room just in time to see the creep throw him against the wall. Tyler dropped to the floor, unconscious. I held the knife up in the air and glared at him. He noticed me and smiled. He lunged toward me. I quickly maneuvered out of his way and swiped the knife across his arm. He let out a high-pitched howl and turned around to face me. He lunged at me again and I dodged him but he was becoming increasingly frustrated that I could dodge his attacks. He began to pick up speed and it felt like he was coming at me in almost every direction. I deflected his hits and got in a few of my own but I was getting tired and it got the best of me. I hesitated for a moment to catch my breath but it was enough for him to grab my wrist and squeeze hard enough for me to drop the knife on the floor and cry out in pain. He wrapped his other hand around my throat and stared into my eyes.

“You are a pretty little thing, aren’t you?” He studied me for a moment. “And powerful... I can see what all the fuss is about.”

“Who are you?” I squeaked through his grip.

“Let’s just say I work for someone who is quite interested in you.”

I began to panic internally. I knew at any moment I could be killed or subjected to something much worse without being able to defend myself. His gaze intensified and instantly I felt myself relax and go into a trance.

“First things first... you’re going to forget everything that happened here tonight... in fact you’re not going to remember much at all about the earlier incident...” His voice was smooth and I was reeled in like a fish on a hook.

Before he could continue I caught the moonlight gleam off a long, silver blade. It severed his head and it fell to the floor while the body collapsed after releasing its hand from my throat. The blood splattered on me and I lost consciousness.


	6. The Truth Hurts

When I woke up I was in a hospital bed and I was sore all over. My muscles hurt but I didn’t know why. My throat felt like someone tried to strangle me and it was hard to swallow. When I reached up to touch it my wrist throbbed to the point that I winced and I noticed the cast on it.

“You’re lucky.” Tyler’s voice broke my train of thought. He was seated in a chair beside the bed. His face was bruised and I frowned at the sight.

“What the hell happened?” I asked.

“You don’t remember?” He seemed puzzled by that.

“No, not a thing.”

“What _do_ you remember?”

“I was at the dance with Sam and just as we were about to leave I think someone grabbed me or something.” I closed my eyes and put a hand on my forehead and then reopened them. “And...I think you saved me, right?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “You really don’t remember anything else?”

“No…except that I think my dad likes you.” He grinned.

“He made that clear when he thanked me a million times.”

“What _did_ happen?” I asked.

“Some psycho attacked you—nobody knows why but I think they got him...at least that’s what your dad and his friend, John, said.”

“Is that why I'm sore everywhere?” He nodded with a frown.

“He almost strangled you but he did break your wrist.”

“And you saved me?”

“Like I’d ever let anything happen to you, come on.”

“He could’ve killed you Ty.”

“He gave me a run for my money but I guess it’s a good thing I have a bad temper or we’d both be dead.”

“Thank you... for everything.”

“Anytime.” He smiled and very gently put a hand on my face.

He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss and before I could think about it suddenly there was a knock on the door and he quickly removed his hand and backed up before it opened. John and Dad walked in standing just in front of the doorway.

“How you doing kid?” John asked.

“Sore.”

“I bet.” He replied.

“It’s a good thing your training paid off.” Dad stated.

“What do you mean?” They looked at me curiously and Tyler turned to face them.

“Can I ask you two something?” He motioned for them to go into the hall. They nodded and followed him. “Did he bang her on the head or something?” Tyler whispered.

“Not that I noticed.” Dad replied.

“Why?” John asked.

“She doesn’t remember much of anything.” Tyler answered. “She has a few scattered details but that’s it.”

“She doesn’t remember defending herself?” Dad asked.

“No and she barely remembers the attacks at all.”

“Weird.” John arched an eyebrow at Dad.

“So she never mentioned how she knocked him out?” Dad asked cautiously.

“No, in fact I wasn’t conscious when it went down so I don’t know the details either.”

“It’s like we told you... all 3 of you were out when we walked in. She had a bloody knife in her hand, which we assumed was how she defended herself against him.” Dad stated.

“That’s another thing.” Tyler interjected. “You keep ignoring how I said that he had two sets of teeth.”

“I'm sure it looked that way but the power was out, your adrenaline was high and under the moonlight you’d be shocked how things appear. Some of these nut jobs have their teeth sharpened a certain way.” John added.

“Seriously?” Tyler was stunned. “Who does that?”

“It’s becoming a trend in California...something to do with the recent onslaught of vampire movies.” John replied.

“Ugh.” Tyler shook his head disgustedly. “That’s sick.”

“You’re telling me. There are actual bars where the people look like they stepped out of Dracula’s lair.” Dad added.

“And this is a trend? Seriously?” Tyler was stupefied.

“Apparently it’s a big deal out there.” John answered.

“I doubt it will catch on here.” Tyler replied.

“Let’s hope.” Dad answered.

“Especially if people let it go to their head and they think they’re real vampires or something.” Tyler said. “Like the nut who came after her.”

“He won’t be bothering her again, that’s for damn sure.” Dad stated firmly.

“He was so strong and fast.” Tyler commented absentmindedly.

“He’s in custody now.” John stated.

“Good thing too.” Tyler replied. “Did you see what he did to her?”

“It could’ve been much worse.” Dad mumbled.

“I'm trying to figure out how he walked away from the beating I gave him earlier—doesn’t make sense.”

“From the description of the earlier suspect this guy is completely different.”

“What the hell are they? A part of the same cult or something?” Tyler muttered angrily.

“Seems like it.” Dad replied.

“The important thing is that she’s safe now.” John replied.

“I’ll be watching out for her; I hope you know that.” Tyler stated.

“Good.” Dad replied.  
“I don’t really know you but you’re a good kid.” John replied.

“Um... thanks.” Tyler replied.

“Don’t worry... I think she’ll clue in eventually.” John added.

“To what?” Tyler asked curiously.

“That you’re the better choice for her.” John replied and Dad nodded once.

Tyler nodded politely but didn’t reply. He came back into the room and sat back down in the chair. I felt exhausted. I didn’t want to move. I just closed my eyes and felt Tyler gently hold my hand. I was too tired to even think about it.

After I was released from the hospital I ended up spending the rest of the weekend in bed, dozing in and out of consciousness. I didn’t eat anything and I only drank a little bit which had Dad worried. Bonnie, Elena, Matt and Tyler checked in on me along with Dad and the twins but I just didn’t have the energy to stay awake and visit with anyone. I was sure Sam tried to call because Dad mentioned something about a “Johnny”, whom he’d never heard of before, asking for me. I just pretended like it was someone I knew from school that I met through Elena.

“I think it did something to her.” Dad stated quietly as he paced the hallway. “She’s been in bed all weekend and she hasn’t eaten anything.”

“If she was in any real danger, we’d know it.” John replied.

“It doesn’t help that she can’t remember anything.” Dad commented.

“That’s because he hypnotized her not to remember.”

“Why?” Dad asked. “If he was going to kill her anyway why make her forget?”

“I'm not sure he was going to kill her.” John paused. “Do you think she ingested any of his blood?”

“No. She’s not sensitive to light and other than being exhausted she seems okay.”

“She’s had a lot to deal with, give her a chance to recuperate.” John replied. “I think she’s in shock, any normal person would be.”

“She’s not normal though.” Dad answered.

“Well she’s still human.” John replied. “Whether she’s unique or not her body will most likely react to trauma like ours does. Give it time and don’t freak her out.” Dad paused.

“You hear of anyone named ‘Johnny’ besides yourself?”

“No, why?”  
“He’s been calling to see if she’s okay.” Dad replied suspiciously. “I don’t recognize the voice.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard of him.” John commented.

“She said it’s someone from her class that she met through one of her friends.”

“Which friend?” John asked.

“Elena.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” John replied. “Elena’s a good girl and I seriously doubt she’d hang around any creeps.”

“It just seems like suddenly all these boys are interested in Nina.” Dad commented unhappily.

“Spoken like the true father of a daughter who’s growing up.” John answered. “I know we face a lot of crap but you have to realize that not every person that walks into her life is going to be bad news. She’s at the age that, like it or not, she’s going to get a lot of attention from boys. She’s got her mother’s looks and your eyes—which means this is going to get worse.”

“Thanks.” Dad replied dismally.

“Just being real.”

“She’s already a target.” Dad replied. “I don’t need anything added to it.”

“Just make sure you’ve trained her and she’ll be fine.”

“You really believe that?” Dad wasn’t convinced.

“Have you met your kid? She doesn’t take anyone’s crap... you don’t have to worry about her being some damsel in distress.”

“True.”

“Relax.” John replied. “Look...if her condition gets worse call me and I’ll be here a.s.a.p.”

“Deal.” Dad replied.

About 4 am Sunday morning I woke up from a bizarre dream. Some kind of monster was attacking Tyler and I but Sam took its head off before it had a chance to kill us. I sat up and sighed. After sleeping for the better part of three days I felt very much awake and it was unlikely I would go back to sleep. I got out of bed, feeling stiff but not as sore and I began to stretch… until I felt my wrist which was throbbing. I noticed a bottle of pain relief on the nightstand with some water and took it right away. I thought about the dream. It was probably brought on by the crazy guy who attacked us... but the strangest aspect of it was seeing Sam cut the head off a monster with a long, silver machete. Except for the time when he shot the guys who attacked us on the highway... I had never seen him act so violently. It was a strange sight to behold. He was such a sweet, compassionate person by nature and in a blink, he had a sinister expression on his face when he was confronted with something evil. I suppose we all had that tendency. To feel deep rage when something threatened the people we cared about. I know I’d seen it in my dad’s eyes the night Mom passed away and that fire never died. He may have contained it but it was still there burning white hot underneath the surface.

Since it was pointless to go back to bed I turned the TV on at a low volume and then I went on the computer to check my emails, being careful with my wrist. There were ten emails from Sam in under two days. Each one practically stated the same thing:

_Call me as soon as you read this. Are you okay? What’s going on? Worried!!!_

I sent him a reply.

_“Sam,_

_It’s 4:30 am and I'm not going to risk calling you now and waking everyone up. I’ve been in bed all weekend. I guess I wasn’t feeling that great after that crazy guy attacked me at the school. I don’t remember much about what happened; only that you left and I said I’d call you when I finally got home. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep and wake up 3 days later though. I'm sorry if I made you worry. ~ Nina.”_

His reply was instantaneous.

_“Nina,_

_That’s all you remember? What about filing a police report? Or calling me when you got home? You don’t remember getting attacked again? At your place? Seriously? ~ Sam.”_

_“Sam,_

_Wow. No... I don’t remember any of that. I think I got hit in the head or something. Tyler was also shocked that I didn’t know what went down. I'm lucky he saved my ass though or we’d both be dead. ~ Nina.”_

_“Nina,_

_I was at your place when a different guy attacked you and Tyler. He was unconscious and if I hadn’t come in when I did the 2 nd guy would’ve broken your neck. ~ Sam.”_

Why didn’t I remember Sam being there?

_“Sam,_

_I'm not sure why I can’t remember you being there but thanks for saving me, again. I'm not sure why I forgot about the 2 nd guy. So... basically Ty and I are alive because of you. Wow. I'm so grateful. ~ Nina.”_

_“Nina,_

_I'm not worried about getting the credit, what bugs me is that it’s like your memory has been altered...or erased...”_

He sent the email without finishing it so I wasn’t sure what he was trying to convey but it was clear he was beyond worried.

_“Sam,_

_Are you the ‘Johnny’ who kept calling to talk to me? ~ Nina.”_

_“Nina,_

_Yeah, I didn’t want to blow my cover since I'm not a British dude named Steve.”_ That made me laugh. _“I have to get going but I want you to keep me posted. I'm worried about you. ~ Sam.”_

_“Sam, I miss you more than words can say. ~ Nina.”_

_“Yeah, me too. ~ Sam.”_

After emailing Sam I felt at ease enough to at least crawl back into bed. I didn’t expect to fall asleep but I did. This time all I could think about was how Tyler saved me and how calm I felt when he was around.

The next morning, I tried to get ready for school like I normally did but my wrist slowed me down a bit. When I was finally ready I reassured the twins I was better. Dad studied me quietly as we ate breakfast but he said nothing. I thought nothing of it. When we were done, I gave him a hug and walked out the door with the twins.

For the next while people treated me like I was fragile glass; teachers, friends and Dad. It was unsettling. I already felt bizarre to begin with but their odd behaviour only made it worse. It’s as though they expected me to have some kind of meltdown. I guess it was warranted given everything I had been through but I felt unusually calm. I had no real memory of the attacks and as a result I wasn’t upset or paranoid like everyone around me. I knew the facts but it didn’t alter my emotions or my perspective. Sam emailed me every day, making sure that I was safe and trying to not so subtly find out if I remembered what actually happened. After a few weeks when he was convinced that I was safe and it was apparent I wasn’t going to have a breakdown he eased up. He still emailed but usually a few times a week. He kept them simple, never elaborating on where they were or what they were doing. He only really mentioned school, his grades, teachers and any interesting books he came across.

When my wrist healed and the cast came off I ended up busier than ever. Due to the attacks Dad stepped up my training regime. He went from treating me like glass to treating me like I was made of solid armor. He also began sparring with me. I wasn’t sure it was the best idea since there was the possibility of us hurting each other but he was convinced that the only way I would prepared for another attack is if I trained with a man instead of a punching bag. Sometimes during practices, we would alternate using weapons which made me nervous but he wanted me to get used to using them with a real person. It was a good thing our backyard had high fences and a lot of trees or the neighbours would think we were trained assassins.

I didn’t really have much time to myself anymore. Between school and the training, I might have had maybe one or two days a week to myself and I was usually studying or doing homework. I still went to the football games and hung out at the after parties but not for long. The only reason why Dad allowed it was because Tyler was the quarterback and he wanted to support him. He and the twins usually came along with me to watch the games, although he seemed more interested in watching everyone else than keeping score.

Tyler began to come over a couple times a week to study with me. He said he was falling behind in his grades and if he wanted to stay on the football team he had to keep his marks up so the teacher recommended him to pair up with me because my grades were so high. At first I thought it was just an excuse but the teacher confirmed it and of course Dad didn’t disagree. Tyler usually came over for dinner and we would study afterward. Dad didn’t say anything about it but it was obvious he approved. The twins watched Tyler curiously without saying much at first but after the first couple of times they relaxed and treated him like Sam or my other friends. After a few months of this, my attachment to Tyler began to grow and I couldn’t help it. I kept it to myself but I was sure that Bonnie and Elena noticed. I think Tyler also knew but he was wary of being vulnerable without me making the first move, not that I could blame him. He knew how much I loved Sam and whether I saw him sporadically or not he didn’t want to rock the boat between us. Although I didn’t admit it to anyone but myself, it was hard not seeing Sam and the longer I went without seeing him the harder it was for me to see us having a future together unless we made a concerted effort to visit one another. I could tell it was weighing on his mind too. He wasn’t able to call or write as frequently as he wanted and he had no idea when he would get the chance to visit. The only thing he did divulge was that they were spending a lot of time on the opposite side of the country without any hint of coming back soon.

As the months passed by and we went from Winter to Spring, the Football season was over and I was having a hell of a time trying to keep myself occupied or preoccupied from both Sam and Tyler. Sam because I missed him so much it hurt and Tyler because every time I saw him I knew in my heart I was falling for him and I felt guilty for it. It didn’t help that the teachers insisted I continue tutoring Tyler throughout the rest of the semester. I wasn’t sure why; his marks had increased quite a bit and I thought he was perfectly fine to work on his own but I didn’t push it.

I decided that to maintain a semblance of control, I needed a change. Halfway through April I cut five inches off my hair. Sometimes I straightened it but most of the time I let it fall curly. It gave me a bit of a different look and it was definitely much easier to style. It happened to coincide with my 16th birthday. Unbeknownst to me, Bonnie rounded up the others and planned a sweet 16 party for me with the help of my Dad. They thought my new hairstyle kind of suited my transition into a young woman. It was a great party but I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing and that something was Sam. It just didn’t feel the same without him around. I kept up appearances but inside I felt empty.

It was also around that time when I began to feel strange, weird. I began to get premonitions about things and it creeped me out. Most of the time they were in my dreams and they were relatively harmless but a few times it took place during the day when I was either in class or during training. When it happened during training it enabled me to anticipate my dad’s next sparring move. Shocking us both I actually put him on his ass a couple of times. I was sure it was a fluke but he seemed pleased with the results. Aside from the premonitions I retained information and details easily and without studying. I didn’t have to spend the same amount of time preparing for assignments, tests, or exams. It afforded me a liberal amount of spare time which I spent with my friends once my training was out of the way.

Bonnie had also changed. She became a bit more introverted than usual. Her intuition was at an all-time high and there were moments when the very second, I sat near her I could tangibly feel something coming from her as though she was emitting a powerful aura. I wanted to talk to her about it but she would clam up the moment I brought it up and seeing as though she wasn’t ready to open up about it, I left it alone.

It had been a while since I heard from Sam and I was trying not to focus on that. I checked my email several times a day but nothing. As I sat staring at the computer screen with a disappointed expression on my face I heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.” I replied somewhat despondent.

“Hey there kiddo!” John opened the door and smiled. I quickly exited out of my email and ran over to him.

“Hey!” I smiled and gave him a hug. “Where the heck have you been? I haven’t seen in you months.”

“We’ve had a lot on the go.” He replied as he pulled away. “Well... look at your new do... I like it.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re growing up too fast.” He replied.

“It’s just a hair cut.”

“No... it’s more than that, you seem different.” He paused. “But in a good way.”

“You missed my 16th birthday.”

“I'm sorry about that... I was in the middle of nowhere with no reception. I meant to send a card but I had so much going on that I lost track of time.”

“It’s okay, I get it.” I replied. “Are you sticking around for a few days?”

“I was thinking about it.” He smirked. “Why don’t we grab some dinner and catch up?” I nodded and followed him. “Oh... by the way I didn’t mean to intrude on your dinner guest.”

“What?” I arched an eyebrow as we made our way down the stairs.

Tyler was standing in the hall and smiling up at us. Crap. I forgot all about him coming over.

“Hey.” I smiled and tried to ignore those stupid butterflies in my stomach. “I totally forgot you were coming over.”

“I can reschedule if you want.”

“Nonsense.” John replied. “I got enough take-out for all of us.” He walked into the kitchen and Tyler smiled.

“He’s right. Come on in.” I replied.

The twins were setting the table while dad took the plates out of the cupboard. It just so happened that they sat Tyler and I together while the twins sat beside each other and John sat in the only vacant seat beside my dad. I think they planned it that way but I didn’t let on. We took our seats and began eating. We had a surprisingly good time talking, joking and carrying on. It was almost like we were a family.

“I hear your team won the regional championship.” John stated to Tyler.

“Yup.” Tyler had a big smile on his face.

“Good for you.” John replied.

“He’s the best QB I’ve seen in a long time.” Dad added.

“I agree.” I replied. “He’s got a great arm.” Tyler looked into my eyes and I blushed.

“He must because I’ve never known Nina to be interested in football until she met you.” _Damn it John!_

“I like hockey and I’ve always liked football.”

“You never went to any football games.” Dad replied.

“I have friends on the team now.”

“Right.” Dad nodded with a smirk and Tyler tried not to grin.

“Whatever.” I just shook my head. “Can I be excused?” Dad nodded with a laugh.

I picked up my plate and brought it to the sink. Tyler followed suit. When we were done we walked to the living room and began our homework, or rather, his. Mine was already done. It didn’t take very long and when he closed his books he asked if I wanted to sit on the porch with him. I agreed and he picked up his backpack. We walked outside with John and Dad watching us and smiling curiously. He set his backpack on the porch while we sat down.

“Thanks for helping me with the schoolwork. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem.”

“You’re kind of a genius, aren’t you?” He asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve noticed that you barely look at your books anymore but you ace all your classes. I know you’re not cheating because I’ve watched you do your assignments.”

“I guess I just retain things easily.”

“Wish I could.”

“Everyone learns at their own pace; it doesn’t make me any better than you or vice versa.”

He moved close enough to me that I swore I could feel the warmth radiate off his body to mine and we weren’t even touching. I tried to subtly swallow hard.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“No you’re not. I can tell. You put on a brave face but you really miss Sam, don’t you?”

“Yeah but I know the drill.”

“I'm sorry you’re hurting.” He said and stood up unexpectedly. I followed suit.

“I don’t hurt so much when you’re around.” _Damn it! Did I just say that? Crap_.

“I know, I can tell.”

I was standing at the door, ready to go back inside when he surprised me by kissing me. It was very quick but very sweet and very nice. I almost lost myself in it. After a moment, I finally pulled away.

“Um... Tyler... I can’t.”

“Sorry...that was out of line.”

“I'm not mad...just not ready.”

“It’s okay, I get it.” He gave me a quick hug, grabbed his backpack and ran off the porch to his car.

He promptly got inside and then drove off after a quick wave. I sighed. My lips were still tingling from his kiss and as much as I wanted to hate it, I didn’t and I felt guilty about it. I walked back inside and sat on the couch in the living room. John walked in and sat beside me.

“Where’s Dad?”

“Tucking the twins in bed.”

“Oh.”

“Still hung up on that Steve guy?” Whoa! He didn’t waste time.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I replied quietly and crossed my arms.

“I see.”

“No, you don’t. I get that you and Dad want what’s best for me but you have to let me choose that for myself.”

He sighed and sat on the coffee table and looked me directly in the eyes.

“Nina, I’ve known you since you were in diapers. I know I don’t see you all the time but I care about you like you’re my own daughter. You’re just as important to me as my own boys so I'm going to do you a solid and be honest with you.”

“I'm listening.”

“I loved my family but I wasn’t always there for them and it hurt them a lot.”  
“You did what you knew how to do.”  
“That’s true... but there is no way in hell that your dad or I want you to go through what we’ve put our own families through. We’ve fought tooth and nail so you could have better than that.”

“So you think that even though you don’t know who the hell Steve is—I'm better off without him and better off with Tyler.”

“I can’t comment about a guy I never met. If you like him then it’s obvious he’s not a tool.” That made me smile. “But I will say that committing to a guy you only see once in a while might hold you back from other, possibly better, opportunities.” I considered it for a moment. “Tyler really cares about you. Not every guy will put himself into the line of fire for a girl he cares about, especially someone his age.”

“Steve’s also very protective of me.”

“I don’t doubt that he is—I think you tend to draw that out of people but the fact is Steve doesn’t live here, Tyler does and while you’re waiting and hoping for things to really happen with Steve—you are missing out on what could be happening with a guy who is right in front of your face.” I looked up at him. I hated that he was right.

“How did you get so wise?”

“I’ve screwed up a lot.” He smiled. He gave me a side hug and I hugged him back. “I will say this...” He whispered. “You like Tyler a hell of a lot more than you’re willing to admit.” _Ah damn it._

I pulled away just as Dad walked into the room with a satisfied expression on his face.

“The twins are out.” He commented.

“Wow, that was quick.” I replied.

“They had a full day.” He answered.

“True.”

“So... Tyler’s gone home?” He asked and John smiled.

“Yeah...and now it’s my turn to go up to my room.”

“So early?” He asked.  
“Yeah... I think I’ve had enough face time with the only male cupids I’ve ever met.” John laughed.

I gave them both a hug and walked up the stairs.

“Nice speech.” Dad said.

“You heard?”

“Of course. I wanted to see what she would say.”

“She cares about him... you can see it.”

“I know but something holds her back.” Dad replied.  
“That _something_ is Steve.” John answered. “I just wish I knew who he was.”

“If he’s not here it doesn’t matter. I can’t see him having much sway over her with everything Tyler’s done.”

“True.” John nodded. “I just don’t want to see her go through what Mary did.”

“Cut yourself some slack. It wasn’t your fault and you’ve done the best you can with what your boys.”

“So have you.” John replied.

“Touché.” Dad answered. “I think it’s only a matter of time before she gives into Tyler. He’s a persistent one.”

“So is she.” John answered.

“Just like her mother.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“It sure is.”

I closed the door to my room after I walked inside. I considered everything John said with an open mind. I knew he meant well and I could trust him to be honest with me. If he saw something in Tyler he approved of then I should at least contemplate what he was saying. Until the kiss... it’s not like I avoided Tyler I just did my best to restrain my emotions when we were together. I was in a hard place. We had been thrown together so much and then he saved me from a mad man... I was bound to feel something for him. I couldn’t deny that I was beginning to love him but I fought it every step of the way because I loved Sam and when he was in the picture I naturally gravitated to him regardless how I felt for Tyler. It wasn’t that I didn’t have genuine feelings for Tyler; it’s just that whenever Sam was around I felt drawn to him like a magnet. It was weird and I didn’t understand it. So... to be fair to Tyler I just avoided crossing any boundary. I kept everything in check and as hard as it was to do I put it at the back of my mind and I focused all my energy into training or schoolwork and it seemed to work, for the time being.

A couple of weeks later I was in the backyard, trying to catch my breath between bouts of sparring with my dad.

“Ugh.” I moaned. “Give me a chance to breathe!”

“If someone is coming at you, you’re not going to get that chance.” He replied and came at me again. “You’ve got to be able to regroup quickly.”

I deflected his hits and kicks but I was sore, beyond sore and I was getting tired. For some reason, I wasn’t getting any glimpses of his next moves and I was forced to work on instinct.

“Why don’t you give the kid a break?”

A familiar voice broke through our sparring and I turned to see who it was but that was a bad idea because Dad had just sent another kick my way and I missed it. I ended up on the ground, holding my stomach with a grimace.

“And that’s why you need to be prepared!” Dad barked before helping me up. “You’re vulnerable when you’re distracted.” I frowned at him and his gaze softened. “Are you okay?” He asked.

“I'm fine.” I replied stiffly. I ran over to John and he opened his arms so I could give him a hug.

“Where have you been? I’ve missed you.” I asked.

“Busy with my boys.” He replied and hugged me back. I pulled away from him.

“How are Shawn and Dave anyway?” I asked.

“Good, stubborn as hell, but good.”

“You do realize I’ll meet them eventually and I’ll figure out if it’s them who’s being stubborn or you.” I teased. “You can’t hide them away from me forever you know.” Dad gave him an odd look.

“We’re always on the road and I doubt you’ll get a chance to see them for a while.”

“Fine.” I replied. “But tell them I say ‘hey’.”

“I sure will.” He replied.

“Why don’t you get cleaned up while I talk to John.” Dad said, interrupting us. It wasn’t a suggestion.

“Don’t you dare sneak off when I'm in the shower.” I commented to John with a smile.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He answered with a grin.

I left the backyard and headed into the house.

“Being a little hard on her, don’t you think?” John stated grimly.

“That’s the pot calling the kettle black.” Dad replied. “Do you go easy on the boys?”

“No but that’s different—they’re in the life, she isn’t and she’s your daughter. It’s not the same thing.”

“If I go easy on her she’ll end up like her mom or Mary. I can’t afford to risk her life, not when so much is at stake. She has a legacy to fulfill.”

“Then be honest with her.” John replied. “How can she be prepared if she doesn’t know who she really is?”

“It’s not the right time besides she needs more training.” Dad answered.

“She’s been training since she was 10. Surely she knows enough to kick both our asses.” John said.

“She needs motivation... I can tell she’s holding back.”

“Then tell her the truth or take her hunting with us; that will motivate her for sure.”

“No, she’s not ready for that.” Dad shook his head.

“You mean you’re not ready for that.”

“I can’t be hunting with her while Ariel and Andrew are so young. It’s better to wait until they’re older.”

“You can’t hide this from them forever.” John interjected. “It’s safer if they knew the truth.”

“No it’s not. If Nina knew the truth she’d drop everything and join us. I need her here with the twins.”

“You should train them like you’ve trained her then.”

“If Nina fulfills her destiny they won’t have to.”

“You don’t know what will happen tomorrow, much less years from now. Don’t wait. We both know time waits for no one.” John replied grimly.

“If I can help it I'm going to keep them out of the life.”

“Mary tried to do the same thing and look what happened to us?” John replied. “You can’t fight fate.”

“I sure as hell can.” Dad replied firmly. “Nina isn’t like the rest; she won’t end up like us.”

“You don’t know that.” John answered.

“Her legacy confirms it.”  
“Then when are you going to tell her about that?”

“When she graduates.” Dad replied.

“You think the abilities will manifest by then?” John asked.

“They should; her mother’s did.”

“But she chose not to fulfill her destiny.” John added.

“She didn’t avoid it, she just chose not to leave us.”

“It’s what got her killed and we both know it.” John answered firmly. “She could’ve stayed with you and still fulfilled the legacy.”

“No. They knew who she was and they could’ve killed us all if she decided to do it.”

“Are you kidding? With the power she had at her disposal? If she would’ve developed her abilities and let them fully manifest she would’ve killed them all!”

“Well it’s too late now isn’t it? She’s gone.” Dad replied bitterly.

“But it’s not too late for Nina.”

“No.” Dad shook his head. “I'm going to make sure she’s ready first before I tell her the truth.”

“Don’t kid yourself... you’re not going to be able to put this off much longer. She’s a target for any supernatural creature that stumbles in the area. You’re lucky we found the other Vetalas before they were able to put the word out... plus don’t forget the fact she took out a rogue vampire on her own.”

“I hear what you’re saying John but I have to do this differently with her than her mother. It’s like the moment she found out about her legacy all hell broke loose.”

“How did they find out about her anyway?” John asked.

“Her sister and brother in law.”  
“Right...” John replied. “I forgot they were possessed.”

“Damn well knew better too.” Dad grumbled. “They were told to wear the charms. They knew the truth.”

“Explains why the kids were taken away.” John commented.

“The second I heard about it I hauled ass to exorcise the demons out of them but they killed themselves in custody. Never did find out who they were either.”

“I noticed Nina wearing the charm you gave her.”

“They all are.” Dad replied. “But I have a feeling they’ll be okay around here.”

“Why do you say that?”  
“The Lockwood boy.”

“Right, Tyler. I forgot what you found out about him.” John said. “You sure that’s a good idea though? Considering his heritage?”

“He’s legit plus he has no idea of his lineage.”

“That doesn’t mean he’ll stay ignorant of it and once his true nature manifests she’ll be vulnerable.”

“No. I’ve met the family, they’re not a threat. I made sure of it.”

“How?”

“On their vast property, they have an underground cavern where the males lock themselves up during the lunar cycles.”

“Huh... not our usual cup of tea.” John commented. “Most of them have no memory of turning.”

“It’s been passed down through the generations and while I find the father an arrogant ass of a mayor, he does have the city’s welfare at heart.”

“Any other unusual happenings?”

“I’ve finally figured out why Nina’s friend Bonnie is so unique.”

“You’ve been wondering about that for a while.”

“I always knew there was something about her that set her apart from others but I also knew that she wasn’t a threat to anyone, at least not people.”

“How so?”

“She’s a witch, unlike those we’re used to encountering. She’s a Bennett.”

“A true Bennett witch?” John was surprised.

“I know. I was just as surprised as you, especially considering she’s been friends with Nina since they were 5. I had no idea her ancestors moved here but it’s been carefully concealed.”

“They’re not typically a threat to anyone but the same monsters we face.”

“I know, which means my family is safer here than anywhere else.”

“Between Tyler and the Bennett witch I think you’re covered.” John replied. “But I’ve heard something disturbing through another hunter.”

“What?”

“Tidbits about the Mikaelsen family.”

“I thought they were taken out?”

“There are rumours that they went underground because their father Mikael hunted them. They’ve been off our radar for at least a century but word is they’re still out there, possibly on another continent.”

“Great, just what we need.” Dad muttered.

“You don’t want them finding out about Nina.” John stated urgently. “Klaus is known for collecting powerful things for his arsenal and that’s just how he’ll see her.”

“You think he’s still out there?”

“That’s the word and as far as I'm concerned we need to heed the warning.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

“Partly but Bobby said there’s a nest of Djinn a few states over.”

“Who do you have on board?”

“Ed Harvelle and Rufus.”

“Think that will be enough?” Dad asked.

“I also have the boys.”

“Fine, count me in. When do we leave?”

“In the morning.”

“Got it. Crash here for the night and we’ll leave first thing.”  
“Do you think she’ll ever suspect something’s up?”

“Not with Tyler in the picture.”

“Did you plan that on purpose?” John asked. “As a means of protecting her and keeping her distracted?”

“I knew the night he saved her that he was into her. I know she’s fighting it but I think it’s inevitable that they’ll end up together. When I found out about his lineage I just figured it was convenient.”

“Is she still hung up on that Steve guy?” John asked curiously.

“She doesn’t talk to me about him but when I ask her I can see it all over her face.”

“See what all over her face?”

“I think she loves him.”

“She’s young and he lives overseas, it will pass.”

“No, you don’t see the expression on her face... this isn’t a crush. I wish to God it was but it isn’t.”

“What do you know about him?” John asked.

“Nothing.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, nothing. She won’t tell me anything about him except that he was an exchange student from England. That’s it. I don’t know his last name; I don’t know where in London he’s from and to my knowledge he’s never even called the house. What I do know is that the twins met him a couple of times when they were at the park but even then... they won’t give me any real details.”

“What did they say?”  
“That he’s nice and they can tell he really cares about Nina and is very protective of her.”

“Interesting.”

“It is.”

“Did you call the school to find out more about him?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I know it will get back to Nina and I don’t want to alienate her from me, we have too much work to do.”

“I can look into it if you want me to.”

“She’ll find out, I just know it.”

“Is she getting premonitions?”

“Not that she’s told me but I wouldn’t be surprised.” He replied. “There have been a few times when we were sparring that it seemed like she knew what I was going to do next.”

“I’d keep an eye on it.” John replied.

“Oh, believe me I am.”

“Don’t worry about the Steve guy.” John replied. “I know it weighs on your mind but he is far away and I can tell she’s interested in Tyler.”

“She claims they’re only friends but I’ve watched them together. She feels safe with him, I can tell—even though the last thing I want is for her to start dating with everything stacked against us—it’s the lesser of two evils. I have a good feeling about Tyler. I know he’ll keep an eye on her.”

“I agree with you...it’s too bad you’re dead set against the boys meeting her. They’d look out for her like a sister.”

“It’s nothing personal; I just don’t want her caught up in the life. That’s why I don’t want them to know my real name.”

“I hear you. I wish I didn’t drag them into this but we have no choice.”

“You did it differently with Adam.”

“I wasn’t around much at first though.”

“You’ve made up for it.”

“I’ve tried and by all accounts he seems to have a happy life with his mother. A nice normal life I wish I could’ve given that to his brothers but even then I don’t see him often and I can tell he resents it.”

“Are you ever going to tell the boys?”

“No. It’s better for Adam to stay out of that life and I think it would drudge up too much for them to handle.”

“I don’t think you’re giving them enough credit.”

“I think you forget how they didn’t have a childhood. What do you think it would do to them if they came face to face with the brother that I didn’t force into hunting? They’d feel like I showed favoritism to him over them and it’s not true.”

“You have a point.”

“Anyway...they’ll never meet each other anyway.”

“If it’s one thing I’ve learned...never say never.”

“Damn, you’re right.” John sighed. “Well let’s just hope they won’t.”

“Me too.”

John stayed overnight but him and my dad left to go hunting the next day while I stayed home and watched the twins. I thought he would be back by the time we had to go to school the following Monday but he wasn’t and I almost got worried until he left a message on the machine apologizing for losing track of time and that he would be back Monday night. I couldn’t be angry with him. He never really did anything except go hunting once in a while with John. I could at least let him get out and enjoy himself. They never brought anything back from their hunt because they said they’d lose it all in poker. I never understood men and their need to hunt things and play poker. Sports I understood the other stuff I didn’t but I never bugged him about it.

I got the twins up and off to school Monday morning without any problem and I went about my routine as usual. Instead of us staying in the cafeteria at lunch Elena and Bonnie insisted that we eat outside, by ourselves—just the three of us. The guys just shrugged it off and ended up playing touch football in the yard when they were done eating. As we slowly ate our lunches and watched them, Elena spoke up.

“What’s going on with Tyler?” She asked. I almost choked on the bite I just took from my bagel sandwich.

“Um...what?” I asked innocently.

“You’re so into him, we all see it but you keep pushing him away.”

“I'm with Sam, remember?”

“No, not really.” Bonnie interjected which shocked me. “Don’t get me wrong, I like Sam, a lot. He cares about you but you barely see him, let alone talk to him.”

“She’s right. We love, Sam. He’s a great guy and he loves you but you never hear from him.”

“It’s only temporary.” I replied.

“For how long?” Elena asked. “Nina be real. You’ve been saying _it’s temporary_ for almost 2 years and nothing ever changes. Why do you have to put your life on hold when you have no idea if you’ll even be together?”

“My life isn’t on hold.” I replied, in denial.

“Losing yourself in your training or schoolwork isn’t exactly putting yourself out there.” Bonnie replied.

She knew me all too well.

“Admit how you feel.” Elena pressed.

“Fine I have real feelings for Tyler but the second I see Sam it feels like it all flies out the window. I can’t help it.”

“Maybe you should ask yourself what you’re really getting out of your relationship with Sam.” Bonnie stated.

“Why are you both suddenly on the Tyler bandwagon?” I replied defensively. “Especially you Bonnie, you kept telling me that Sam, and I would be together.”

“Yeah but I thought it would be sooner rather than later. At this point I figured you’d have more of a relationship and not a few occasional visits.”

“I know he calls or emails but he can’t really be there for you when you need him to be.” Elena commented. “Look at when that guy came after you... Tyler was there for you and Sam wasn’t.”

“That’s not true!” I exclaimed. “Sam was there at the second time I was attacked and he’s the reason why we’re alive.”

Bonnie studied me for a moment and realized it was true. She nodded to Elena.

“But how come nobody else knows this?” Elena asked.

“He didn’t want me to say anything.” I replied.

“Why not?” Elena pressed.

“It’s a long, complicated story.”

“There is more to this than he’s telling you.” Bonnie replied.

“Yes but he also said that sometimes there are questions we don’t really want to know the answer to.”

“That’s BS.” Elena replied.

“No... he’s right. There are some things that should be left unsaid.” Bonnie replied cryptically.

“Nope. I disagree. I’d rather know the whole truth than be in the dark about things that matter to me.” Elena said.

“What if the whole truth doesn’t do anything but cause you more pain? If there’s nothing to be gained from it and it makes more sense not to say anything about it at all?” Bonnie replied and Elena considered it.

“But how can you really accept someone for who they are if you don’t know their whole story whether it’s good, bad or ugly?” Elena added.

“You have a point.” Bonnie surmised and looked at me.

“Okay yes... I’d rather know the whole truth but I don’t think he’s hiding anything from me that would drive a wedge between us. It has to do with his family and it’s very hard for him to talk about. I can’t force him to tell me something that may not be any of my business.” I said. Bonnie considered it but didn’t reply.

“I know it seems like we’re picking on Sam but that’s not what this is about.” Elena said, finally.  
“What is it about then?” I asked.

“Your happiness.” Bonnie replied.

“I'm happy.”

“Come on Nina, be real. You’re not happy, you’re lonely. You try to cover up but we know the truth.” Bonnie replied.

“What about you?” I replied annoyed. “You’ve been isolating yourself a lot and you won’t talk about what’s bugging you.” She sighed.

“You’re right.” Bonnie nodded once. “I’ve had some family stuff going on for a while and I’ve been a hermit at times but I'm not lonely or miserable and I don’t wait by the computer or phone for messages I never get.”

“Ouch.” I replied with a frown.

“Bonnie!” Elena frowned. “That’s not fair.”

“I'm sorry.” Bonnie lowered her eyes. “I know Sam means well but I think there is so much going on in his life that he just doesn’t have enough time for you. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be here—he just can’t. The problem with that is he can’t be there for you when you really need someone. For a relationship to work you both have to be there for each other. How can he be when he’s gone 90% of the time?” She had a valid point. “When push comes to shove I think you’re going to have to make a hard choice about what you really need and want.”

“It seems everyone has the same viewpoint. Dad, John... you guys.”

“But what about you?” Elena asked.

“I love Sam and I miss him so much that my heart aches but you’re right. This will never work if he’s never around.” I took a deep breath. “Part of me is afraid to let him go.”

“You don’t have to totally let him go.” Elena answered. “Just tell him what you need. If he can’t give you that then you can’t hold on forever. You can be friends but at least you can get some kind of closure and you can move on.”

“She’s right.” Bonnie replied. “You and Sam are great together when he’s around but when he’s not it leaves a void in your heart. Until he can make a real commitment to be here with you might have to move forward.”

“You don’t think he can do it, do you?” I asked.

“I think he wants to but too much is in the way and some of it is pretty dark and he can’t talk to you about it.”

“What do you mean?” Elena arched an eyebrow. Bonnie shook her head.

“Nina knows what I'm talking about.”

“But I don’t.” Elena replied.

“It’s up to her to tell you.” Bonnie answered while looked at me and I shook my head.

“It’s complicated and I don’t want to get into it.” I replied grimly.

“What about the kiss?” Elena interrupted.

“What?” Bonnie’s eyes widened.

“Matt said Tyler told him he kissed you.” Elena blurted and I turned red.

“Um... I...” I stammered.

“Did you kiss him back?” Bonnie asked curiously.

“Okay... yes... for a moment but then I felt guilty.”

“Wow.” Elena mouth gaped. “That’s kind of a big deal.”

“Um...” I stammered again.

“You really care about him.” Bonnie replied. “More than you’re telling us.”

“I haven’t decided anything so don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“Okay...” Elena said. “Then tell me this... when Tyler kissed you, how did you feel?” I paused and sighed while they eagerly awaited my answer.

“Like I never wanted it to stop.” I replied finally and Bonnie’s eyes widened.

“There you go.” Elena replied with a smug grin.

“I thought I was picking up a vibe between you two.” Bonnie mumbled with a slight smile.

“You don’t get it.” I replied. “Whatever I feel for Tyler seems to vanish the moment Sam walks in the room. It’s like he’s my kryptonite.”

“But it doesn’t negate how you feel about Tyler.” Elena replied.

“Maybe not but it’s not fair to him if Sam shows up and I gravitate toward him.”

“You need to choose who is better for you.” Bonnie replied.

“My head says Tyler; my heart says Sam.”

“Then be real with Sam.” Bonnie replied. “If he wants to be a part of your life he has to actually be in it. Stop trying to cater to everyone else’s feelings but your own. You have real needs and they’re not being met.” Whoa.

By the end of our lunch hour I was an emotional wreck. Torn between how I felt for Tyler and Sam and I had no idea what I was going to do. It made sense to be with Tyler and I did care about him, a hell of a lot more than I admitted to even myself—but my heart couldn’t let go of Sam. One thing was certain; I was going to have to make a decision between the two of them and I wanted to put it off as long as possible but I knew I couldn’t.

I was quiet as we walked back into the school but they didn’t say anything else. Bonnie could read me pretty well and she knew that they had said enough. When the guys met up with us they knew something was up but Elena shook her head so they wouldn’t bug me. We walked to our lockers, gathered our books and then walked to class. As usual, Tyler walked beside me and took a seat next to mine. I smiled uneasily but didn’t say anything.

At the end of the day when I was putting books into my backpack Tyler stood beside me.

“Are you pissed at me or something?” _Or something_...

“No.” I mumbled quietly.

“You’ve been quiet since lunch.”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.” I replied. “But you’re in the clear, don’t worry.”

“Good because I thought that maybe Matt told the girls something and it got back to you...” He said uneasily.

“They know about the kiss.” I replied with a slight frown.

“Crap.” He exclaimed. “I didn’t mean for it to get out.”

“Then why did you tell him?” I asked.

“I swear—it wasn’t me bragging... I just wanted to make sure you weren’t pissed about it.”

“Why would you think that?”

“You avoid getting too close to me.”

_That’s because I don’t want to face my real feelings, throw you up against the locker... and rip your shirt off._

I closed the locker door and began walking. He walked beside me. I didn’t answer him right away. I waited until we were out of the school before I said anything. I stopped when we were halfway across the sidewalk and turned to him.

“I'm just worried that if I let myself get too close to you; I’ll do something stupid.” He frowned. Uh-oh.

“Like what?” He replied angrily. “Fall for me? Actually, care for someone who’s really here for you?”

He was about to storm off when I grabbed his hand and he stopped. He gently squeezed mine and then the butterflies erupted in my stomach. I swallowed hard and looked into his eyes.

“No. I'm afraid I’ll actually give this a try and then I’ll hurt you when Sam shows up.”

“What’s the deal with him? You act like he’s your soul mate but he’s never around.” Tyler said annoyed.

“I know it doesn’t make sense. I’ve tried to stop caring about him, tried to forget him but I can’t. I have some weird bond with him that I can’t explain. We can go for months without seeing or talking to each other but the minute he shows up it’s like time stood still and he never left.”

“I know you care about me... I can see it... more than that I can _feel_ it.” Tyler said.

“Of course I do... but...” I paused and he interrupted me with a kiss.

A war raged within me. Part of me wanted to stop the other part of me wanted to keep going. For a glorious moment I got caught up in it. I let him kiss me and I returned that kiss with more fervor than I intended but I didn’t regret it. When I noticed we had an audience… I very slowly pulled away.

“Tell me you didn’t like that.” He said, his face only inches from mine.

“I can’t.” I replied, blushing and feeling like I was getting hotter by the second.

“See?” He smiled.

“Until I finally resolve things with Sam, I can’t promise you anything.”

“Resolve what?”

“I'm going to be honest with him and tell him how I really feel.”

“About me?”  
“Yes… about everything. I'm going to give him a chance to make it work—if not then I'm done.” He sighed.

It wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He wanted me to say that I was going to break it off. He thought the kiss was a step forward in the right direction, finally. Maybe he thought it would magically sweep me off my feet.

“You want me to be real?” I asked and he nodded. “I won’t lie or lead you on. Yes I care about you, yes I'm holding back when I want to be with you—part of it is due to fear but mostly because I have to settle things with Sam, once and for all.”

“That’s fair.” He sighed again as he noticed Matt was waiting for him. “I don’t regret the kiss though.”

“Neither do I.” I replied.

“You don’t?” He asked.

“No.” I shook my head. “But I can’t let anything else happen until I know where everything stands with Sam.”

“Okay.” He gave me a quick hug. “I should go, Matt looks impatient.

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you later.” He said 

I nodded once and he walked away without looking back. Elena and Bonnie walked over to me.

“Whoa.” Elena said in shock. “What does _that_ mean?”

“It means I'm going to have a long, good talk with Sam about what I want.”

“When?” Bonnie asked.

“Hopefully soon.” I replied. “I need to figure this out.”

“I know this is hard for you but it’s the right thing to do.” Bonnie said.

“I know.” I replied. “If only I knew the outcome.”

“If only we all did.” Elena replied.

“Some things aren’t written in stone because they’re based on someone’s decisions. Certain factors affect those decisions and at any given moment the circumstances can change and sway the decision one way or another. It’s hard to pinpoint those outcomes.” Bonnie answered.


	7. Reconciliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may be times when this story may feel like it's dragging but remember that this is book 1 of 5 so while some details may seem trivial there is a reason why I choose to include them. This is a very different story than the others I write. Thank you for your patience.
> 
> **Warning: There is teen sex in this chapter between two consenting teens who are the same age.**

I knew exactly what she meant. I wasn’t getting a vision because so much could still happen to affect Sam’s decision either way. I nodded once and went on my way to get the twins. This time Elena and Bonnie didn’t walk with me, they gave me the chance to think about everything which I did all the way back, even after I got the twins from school. I let them play in the park for a little while, fondly remembering how Sam and I would spend time there, and then when they were finished playing with their friends we finally went home. Dad was already there when we walked in the door. He picked up takeout and had it on the table by the time we took our shoes off. The twins ran over to him and gave him a hug. I waited until they were done and I hugged him as well but the second I touched him I got a flash of something and I put my hand to my head. I saw a strange guy with tattoos all over his body and glowing blue eyes.

“Are you okay?” Dad touched my shoulder.

“Uh... yeah. I'm good.” The image disappeared and I was confused by it. “Did you have a good time this weekend?”

“Yeah.”

“How are Shawn and Dave?”

“Good. Growing up pretty quick—it almost reminds me of you.”

We walked to the kitchen and began eating. Dad seemed unusually affectionate with us after dinner. He insisted we spend time together and since we were so happy to see him after he was away all weekend we cheerfully agreed. I was certain that something happened on the hunting trip to instigate the behaviour but I wasn’t going to complain. If anything it only reaffirmed my decision to talk to Sam.

He brought the twins upstairs, tucked them in bed, and spent some time with them while I sat at my computer looking at old emails that Sam sent to me. My heart ached at the sight. There was a gentle knock on the door and I minimized the screen.

“Come in.” I replied and he opened the door. I walked over to him when I saw the expression on his face. “You okay, Dad?” He pulled me into a big hug and held on for about 5 minutes.

“You and the twins are everything to me.” He said. “Never forget it.”

“Dad, are you okay?” I asked. “You’re kind of worrying me.”

“I never want you to think that I don’t care because I do.”

“I know that and so do the twins.”

“Good.” He smiled and then left my room and walked downstairs.

I stood there for a moment trying to figure out why he needed to say that. Finally, when I stopped musing I decided to call Sam. I closed the door and picked up the phone. I took a deep breath as I dialed his cell. It went straight to voicemail.

_“Sam, it’s me. I know you probably have a lot going on but I need to see you. It’s important.”_

He didn’t call back but he did send me an email about 10 minutes later.

_“I was thinking the same thing. How about this coming weekend?”_ Wow...that was quick but it would work.

 _“I'm good with that. Call me when you get here.”_ That was all I replied. This time I left the ball in his court.

I wanted to write more but I knew that if I did I would more than likely end up sending him a page long response about everything I wanted to talk to him about and I didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag. I wanted to see him face to face so that I could really get a sense of where he was coming from when he responded. You can hide your emotions in an email or text message but you can’t when you’re standing in front of someone. Regardless how good a poker face someone might have...for the discerning eye...you know what’s going on below the surface.

It felt like the week went by painfully slow. I did the same routines and didn’t miss a beat. I still hung out with Tyler but tried to keep proper boundaries intact. I knew that after the weekend I would know where I stood in Sam’s life and I could finally make a decision about my future, including who I chose to be with. I wanted to tell someone about his impending arrival but I didn’t want to rock the boat. If Tyler found out he might not react very well and I sure as hell didn’t want it to get back to my dad but it was hard to hide the anticipation I felt in my heart. I looked forward to seeing Sam again. It had been way too long, months...about 7 or 8 by that point.

In the middle of the week, between classes Bonnie pulled me aside.

“Are you seeing Sam this weekend?” She asked. Wow, there were times her gut feelings were spot on.

“Hard to keep anything from you isn’t it?” I smiled.

“You should tell your dad that you’re having a few girls over Friday night and then going for a sleepover at my place the next day.”

“What?” My eyes widened. “Why?”

“Just trust me.” She smiled. “I’ll cover for you.”

“Wow...that good?”

“I think you’ll be seeing a lot more of each other after this weekend.”

“Really?” I asked and she nodded. “How do you know?”

“It’s a feeling I got. I think he went through something major—not sure what it was but it changed his entire perspective.”

“That’s great.” I replied.

“Don’t tell anyone what’s going on though.”

“Why?”

“Because I can see someone trying to sabotage it if he finds out.”

“Tyler?” I asked and she nodded. “I guess I can’t blame him can I?”

“All’s fair in love and war.” She replied. “But it doesn’t mean the process is smooth or enjoyable... as for Sam I didn’t really have an inkling about it until this past weekend.”

Huh—that was before I called him.

“I think something happened to him, something huge but all I keep seeing is him with you and that you’re both happy.” I looked at her intently and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Are we ever going to talk about your unusual precognitive abilities?” I whispered. She stiffened. “Bonnie, you can trust me. Besides, I kind of know how you feel.” She studied me for a moment.

“You get them too? Don’t you? More than just _intuition_?”

“Yes and I don’t know why. I just don’t want anyone to find out because they’ll act like I'm...a...a...”

“A freak.” She finished my sentence. “Right?”

“Yeah.”

“I feel the same way.”

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to but know that I'm here if you do.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. “I appreciate that.”

“That’s what friends are for.” I put an arm around her.

The bell rang and we scurried to class.

When I got home after school I immediately told Dad that I would be having a few girls come over Friday night and then spending the rest of the weekend at Bonnie’s. I told him that she was having a hard time lately and needed some company. I knew that her parents were out of town and wouldn’t be around anyway, which made it easier for her to cover for me.

“I noticed she’s been more reclusive lately.” Dad said. “I hope everything’s okay.”

“I think so.”

“I can take the twins out for dinner and a movie Friday night to give you some privacy.”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

“Being a teenager can be hard sometimes; especially with all the hormonal changes.” What??

“Um... yeah... I guess.” I replied awkwardly.

“If you ever want to talk about that, let me know.”

“About what? Being a teenager?”

“That and the different changes you go through; your emotions, ... boys...” He said quietly and I blushed.

“Are you trying to talk to me about sex?” I whispered.

“Uh-huh.” He swallowed hard. It was a good thing the twins were playing in the backyard.

“Dad... I’m good. We’ve learned everything we need to know in Health Class.”

“Did your Health Class tell you that sex isn’t just a sport that you compete with others in?” Whoa!

“Um...” I stammered.

“Did you they let you know that boys think very differently about sex than girls do? That it should be something special and not just some animal thing you have no control over?” _Oh God._

“I kind of decided that on my own.” I replied. _Please stop talking! Stop talking right now!!!!_

“So you know about protecting yourself?”

“Ugh! Dad!!”

“I know you’re embarrassed but this is important stuff.”

“Okay yes! I’ve got it covered—but you don’t have to worry about this anyway because I'm not having sex with anyone at all. It’s the last thing on my mind.”

“I'm just saying...”

“Okay... you’ve said it... can this be over now?” My face stayed dark red. He nodded and I left the room.

“Phew!” He said and took a deep breath, sounding relieved it was over. Nobody felt more relieved than me.

I may have turned 16 but I didn’t think Dad would be talking to me about safe sex without losing his mind over the idea that his little girl would be considering such a thing. I didn’t come back downstairs for the rest of the evening except to grab a plate of food and retreat back to my bedroom. The twins asked what was going on but my dad just brushed it off and said I had a lot of homework. Arielle, however, knew better.

“Did you embarrass her Daddy?” She asked and his eyes widened. “She looks like she’s avoiding you.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“She knows you mean well.” Arielle said and Dad didn’t comment.

“What are you talking about?” Andrew asked.

“Nothing.” Dad replied stiffly. “Eat your dinner.”

I smiled as I walked back up the stairs. Arielle was quick on the uptake, like me. Dad was going to have his hands full with her later on. I ate my dinner and put the plate on my desk. My homework was already finished so I decided to just kick back and watch a movie. I lied down on the bed and put the TV on, trying to block out the conversation I had with my dad. Boy was that ever a challenge.

The next day Tyler met me at my place and walked with me to drop the twins off and then we met up with Elena and Bonnie on the way. They didn’t say much but looked at each other.

“What are you up to this weekend?” Tyler asked me.

“We’re having a sleepover.” Bonnie interjected.

“No boys allowed, sorry.” Elena smiled.

“The whole weekend?” Tyler asked.

“Yup.” Bonnie added. “She’s due for some fun.”

“Maybe at some point we could all see a movie or something.” Tyler added.

“Sounds good to me.” I replied. “But we’ll have to wait and see.” He nodded and smiled slightly.

Something felt off to him but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He decided to talk to me later when Bonnie and Elena weren’t around. When we walked toward the school, he gently tugged on my arm and I stopped walking. Bonnie and Elena looked at us curiously.

“I’ll catch up in a minute.” I replied and they kept walking. Bonnie looked back once or twice though. “What’s wrong?”

“Are we okay?” He asked.

“Yeah. I told you… I still have to figure out everything with Sam before I make a final decision.”   
“I’m just getting a weird vibe from you.”

“Tyler, I’m not going to lead you on. I told you that I don’t think we should get close until I know for sure what’s going on with Sam. I have to make a clean break or it’s not fair to either of you.”

“You’ve been more than fair to him if you ask me.” He replied and I arched an eyebrow. “But okay, I get it.”

“It will be resolved soon, I promise.”

“How soon?”

“Sooner than you think but that’s all I can say right now.”

“Okay.” He nodded and motioned for us to keep walking.

When finally Friday came around I checked my email anxiously expecting to see something from Sam but was sorely disappointed when I didn’t. He hadn’t replied since our last interaction. I logged out and tried not to assume the worst. It was only 7 am and he could still be on his way. I put it out of my head and got ready for school. I had an overnight bag packed with a few changes of clothes and some toiletries. I was ready to take off at the drop of a hat just in case. Dad planned to finish work early, get the twins from school and take a bit of a road trip to a nearby city so that it would give us a good chunk of time to ourselves. I didn’t expect him to do that but Bonnie must have seen it which is why she told me to tell him I had friends coming over. I was still worried that I hadn’t heard from Sam yet. Before we walked inside the school she noticed my expression and stopped me.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“I haven’t heard from him yet.”

“You will.” She replied assuredly. “I have no doubt about it.” Then she handed me a cell phone. “This is for you.”

“What?”

“In case of emergency.”

“You’re giving me your phone?” I looked at her like she was nuts.

“I got it for you.”

“Why?”

“You need a way to stay in touch with Sam.”

“Thanks.”

“Consider it a belated birthday gift.”

“You threw me a party.”

“I didn’t give you a gift though...if you recall.” True, she didn’t, not at the time.

“Well I appreciate it.”

“I also took the liberty of giving the number to Sam.”

“What? How did you even know how to contact him?” She smiled and arched an eyebrow. “Never mind.”

I turned the cell off and put it into the outer pocket of my backpack. We walked into the school and began our day like any other before it but for some reason this day felt significant and Bonnie knew it.

When I sat at my desk I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and it wasn’t lost on Elena, Matt or Tyler.

“What’s going on?” Tyler asked.

“I'm just in a good mood.” I replied.

“Have you talked to Sam recently?” Elena whispered.

“Kind of... but that’s not it.” I answered, trying to contain my excitement.

“Really?” Matt replied unconvinced. “Because you might as well be floating on a cloud.” Tyler frowned.

“It just feels like this is going to be a great day.”

“Uh-huh... yeah I'm sure that’s it.” Tyler mumbled under his breath.

Nobody had a chance to respond. The teacher began talking and we paid attention, all but Tyler that is. He was watching me from the corner of his eye and I was trying not to let on that I knew he was.

When it was time for lunch we sat together in the cafeteria. Elena and Bonnie were talking about final assignments and upcoming exams. Matt was trying to talk to Tyler about baseball teams and who he thought were major contenders. Tyler was barely paying attention. He was not so subtly watching me.

“Are you going to see Sam this weekend?” He asked out of the blue and everyone stopped talking and stared at me.

“I'm not sure.” I replied. “But it would be nice to get everything resolved.”

“Yeah, it would.” He replied with an edge to his voice and Matt kicked his foot under the table. “Ow... what?”

“Tyler.” Bonnie looked at him and shook her head.

“I'm just saying... it would be nice to know what his plans are so your life doesn’t hang in the balance.” He tried to be casual about his response but I could detect a hint of anger.

“You’ll be the first to know when I find out what’s going on.” I replied. His gaze softened and he nodded once.

I picked up my tray and forced a smile before I walked away. If Bonnie saw things working out then Tyler wasn’t going to be happy and I felt bad about that but I didn’t want to break the news to him until I knew for sure. If our destiny depends on the choices and decisions we make in order to fulfill it then we had to be careful about those choices. Right then I had no idea what was in store for me but I felt like everything was about to change.

I stayed out of sight until our afternoon classes. I didn’t want Tyler to try to find me and talk to me. I wasn’t sure if I could keep my cool near him and I didn’t want to possibly jeopardize a reunion with Sam if I crossed a boundary with Tyler. He did apologize to me during class and I politely accepted but I didn’t make any small talk with anyone. I kept my nose in my books and paid attention to the teacher.

By the time the last bell rang I had darted out of my seat and out of the class before anyone could catch up to me. I hurriedly gathered my things from my locker, hoping not to run into anyone and then I rushed out to stand by Bonnie’s car. I reached into the side pocket of my backpack, pulled the cell phone out and turned it on. Not even 5 seconds later it rang, startling me.

“Hello?”

“It’s me.” Sam said.

“Wow... good timing.” I replied.

“I figured you’d be out of school by now.”

“So what’s the plan?” I asked almost nervously.

“I'm not too far away, I’ll give you a call when I'm in town.” That was evasive.

“Okay.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. “I guess I’ll see you soon.”

“Hey...” He quickly interjected.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve really missed you.” I needed to hear that.

“I’ve missed you too.”

“See you soon.”

“For sure.”

Just as I ended the call Bonnie walked over smiling. I didn’t even have a chance to ask her for a ride.

“Yes, I’ll drive you home.” She smiled.

“Do you know everything?” I replied.

“No, just little glimpses here and there.” She unlocked the doors and I got in.

“I just wanted to get home as soon as possible.”

“I know.” She smiled. “But we should hurry. Tyler is looking for you.” I belted myself in and we left right away.

“Why are we on the run from Tyler?” I asked.

“He keeps bugging me about our girl’s weekend but I won’t give him any details. I just told him that we’re going to be out of town at a cabin somewhere. Elena and I will be hanging out at her parent’s lake house but he wanted to see you before you left.”

“What are you going to say to him when you get back?” I asked.

“I'm going to be unavailable for comment.” She smiled. “But for the record Tyler’s not the bad guy.”

“I know.”

“It’s just that he’s a guy and they tend to get territorial about women they care about. I think if he knew what you were doing this weekend...it would somehow get back to your dad.”

“Really?”

“In a roundabout way but yeah.”

“And you’re not going to tell anyone?”

“Like I said, we literally won’t be around.”

“But my dad doesn’t know about the lake house.”

“He’s not going to call, trust me.”

“Okay…”

“I called and asked him if it was okay if we went to the lake house. I told him it’s safe out there and that we just needed some time away, just the girls. He agreed. He trusts you.”

“I feel bad for lying to him then.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong, Nina. I know it sucks to lie to your dad but you and Sam need time to yourselves without anyone interrupting. That can’t happen if anyone knows where you are.”

“True.”

It didn’t take long for her to drive me home. She parked her car beside my dad’s who had just walked out the door with the twins. We got out of the car and they ran over to her and each gave her a hug. Her face lit up the moment they did that. Then once they pulled away from her they ran over to me. I had just let go and straightened up when my dad faced me.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair.” Dad said. “But no parties.” He joked.

“No worries.” I replied. “Besides we won’t be here too long anyway. We’ll be heading out to the lake house in a couple of hours.”

“Don’t worry Mr. Ramsey, she’s safe with me. I won’t let things get out of control.” Bonnie interjected.

“I know and I'm glad she has you.” Dad replied as he got the twins in the car. “We probably won’t be back until around 10 or so.”

“You don’t have to give us that much time Dad.” I replied.

“It’s fine. I don’t get to have many road trips with the twins. It will be fun.”

“I’ll probably be gone to the lake house by the time you get back.” He walked over and gave me a hug.

“Have fun. I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“Thanks.”

He made sure the twins were belted in and then he got in the car. He waved at us before driving away. I walked into the house and Bonnie followed me inside.

“He should be here in an hour or so.” She said.

“I appreciate everything Bonnie.”

“Hey, you deserve some happiness. I'm just glad I can help with that.”

“How does the whole premonition thing happen to you?” I asked curiously.

“It’s hard to explain. It’s unpredictable and not exact. Sometimes I get a gut feeling about something, sometimes I can see a glimpse and there are times when it plays out like scenes in a movie...but the last one is rare. What about you?”

“It’s not just premonitions or gut feelings.” I replied as I lowered my voice.

“Really? What else can you do?”

“Well lately I have this insane photographic memory. I barely have to study anymore. It’s like I read something once and for some reason it sticks with me.”

“Huh—that’s cool.”

“Yeah if it’s something good but if it’s bad—then it’s torture.”

“Good point.”

“And then... well... it just seems like I'm naturally combative or militant.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know that dad has put me in survival training and martial arts since before Mom died.”

“Uh-huh. You’d kick ass on a Survivor Martial Arts show.”

“I bet I would. Well it kind of comes natural to me. I'm by no means perfect but what would take someone years and years to perfect... I can do in a quarter of that time, heck even less than that, especially lately.”

“You are naturally hyper—I wonder if that has anything to do with it.” She teased.

“Could be.” I smiled. “But... when I was sparring with dad a few times I seemed to get a glimpse of what he was going to do. I knew his next move before he even did it. That’s a bit more than premonitions right?”

“That is interesting.”

“He’s been obsessed about me being able to protect myself since Mom died but especially after I was attacked.”

“About that...” She stated. “Do you remember anything about that night yet?”

“No... I mean that’s so weird. I retain everything else but the attack—I seem to have blocked it out.”

“Maybe it’s just too much for you to handle. Tyler told me some of what happened—that’s huge—and anyone would have troubling dealing with it afterwards.”

“I'm shocked you didn’t see it.”

“Me too—but that’s what’s so frustrating about this stupid gift I have.”

“You’re not a circus freak Bonnie. You can’t just perform on a dime.”

“I know—it’s just that—I could’ve helped you out if I knew what was coming.”

“Hey—you and me both.”

“You don’t remember Sam saving you... later at your place?”

“No but I don’t think he was lying.”

“Oh I don’t either... but I do think it’s weird he didn’t give you specific details about the guy.”

“He’s trying not to freak me out I guess.”

“Right... I keep forgetting that everyone else doesn’t have our foresight.”

“Do you have other gifts Bonnie?” She bit her lower lip. “I’d never tell anyone.”

“Uh—well they’re kind of freaky.”

“Hello... have you met me? I'm kind of freaky lately.” She laughed.

“I'm not ready for anyone else to know this.”

“My lips are sealed, I promise.”

“Okay, here goes... apparently on my mom’s side of the family each generation has the predisposition to be a... a... witch.”

“Did you just say _witch_?”

“Yeah... I know... I kind of freaked out at the mention of it but it’s nothing like Harry Potter, believe me.”

“Wow.”

“It’s about the balance of nature, earth and mankind. At least for our family it’s not about black magic.”

“It explains a lot about you, that’s for sure... but it makes me wonder about me. There’s got to be some reason why I'm like this.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being different and gifted with special abilities.”

“Said my unbiased best witch friend who has similar abilities.” She laughed.

“Seriously...Nina, I'm sure there’s a reason but you can take comfort in the fact that when I'm near you I get good vibes not bad.”

“It’s comforting to know I'm not Darth Vader, Sauron, or any other super villain.”

“I'm serious.” She replied. “I know this probably freaks you out but we can figure it out together if you want.”

“I’d like that.” I answered.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“I'm afraid to tell Sam about it.”  
“I don’t think you need to do that right now. It’s not that I don’t trust him but I think you two need to be on the same page for a while before you start adding things to it.”

“You have a good point.”

“It will be okay. I promise.” She replied and gave me a quick hug. “If I can make a quick suggestion...”

“Sure.” I replied. She looked at my outfit.

“Come with me.”

She grabbed my hand and led me upstairs into my room. She released my hand and went straight to the closet. She began going through the hangers until she found a dress and its accompanying sweater and then handed them to me. I arched an eyebrow.

“Trust me.” She said with a grin.

“This is for his benefit?” I asked.

“And yours believe me.”

“You’re being cryptic. Did you see something else?”

“Just his reaction.” She replied. “To _this_ outfit.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Now I can go.” She said but before she left the room she looked back at me. “Remember, tell him what you need. You have to be honest with him about how you feel.”

“That won’t be a problem. Not now.” I answered.

“Good. Well... keep me posted.”

“Will do.” I nodded once and she left the room.

I looked at the outfit she chose. It was very pretty and I couldn’t remember wearing it in a long time. I never wore it around Sam. She definitely knew what suited me though. I smiled and set it back on my bed, and then I went into the washroom and freshened up. Afterwards I changed into the dress and looked in the mirror. It looked good. I wore my hair straight that day so it seemed to suit the ensemble. After applying a light mist of perfume, I left my room and walked downstairs. I had just poured myself a glass of water in the kitchen when I heard a knock on the back door.

“That’s weird.” I replied to myself and I hesitantly walked over and opened it. My jaw dropped. It was Sam.

“Hey.” He smiled. “Can I come in?”

“Sure, yeah... of course.” I let him inside and shut the door, locking it immediately. “I thought I’d be meeting you somewhere...”

“I noticed your dad’s car wasn’t in the driveway...”

“He went on a road trip with the twins.”

“So you have the place to yourself?”

“For a while, yeah.” I replied and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s a nice place.” He said as he looked around. “I see you got the window repaired.” He pointed to the back door.

“I didn’t even know it needed repair.” He frowned slightly.

“Still don’t remember?”

“No but at least I know the truth about that night.”

“What truth?”

“You’re the real hero of the night.”

“As if I’d just throw you to the wolves.” We took a moment and looked at each other.

“You cut your hair.” He commented. “I like it, it looks good.” Then his gaze lingered over the outfit. “You look great.”

He was wearing a white shirt, with a black t-shirt underneath, a pair of faded jeans. His hair was longer and he had stubble on his face which aged him a few years but he looked good. Damn good.

“Thanks.” I blushed. It took a moment but when I came back to reality I smiled. “I should give you an official tour of the house.”

I led him through the kitchen, down the hall, to the living room, back to the hall and up the stairs where I quickly showed him the twins’ rooms, the bathroom and finally my own. He walked inside and looked around with a smile as I followed him in.

“Not surprised to see the books.” He said as he peered at my bookcases.

When he noticed the overnight bag and the backpack beside it he arched an eyebrow.

“Just in case you were free for the weekend...I figured I should be prepared.”

“Good call. I am free this weekend. Nobody is going to bug us.”

“Nobody’s going to bug us here either.”

That’s when my landline began ringing which caused me to frown momentarily as he chuckled.

“You were saying...?” He teased.

“Be quiet.” I smiled and rolled my eyes. I looked at the call display and frowned slightly. It was Tyler.

“Who is it?”

“Tyler.” I answered. “Checking to make sure I'm okay.” I turned the ringer off and set the phone down.

“Why wouldn’t you be?” He asked concerned.

“He found out I talked to you.”

“Oh... I see.” He replied.

“He’s just being protective.”

“I know.” He replied and walked a little closer to me.

I didn’t reply, I just kept looking at him. I fully intended to give him my big long speech about what I wanted and needed but it seemed to fade in the light of him towering over me. He looked even taller and he kept walking closer to me until we were only about a foot apart. He gently reached out and put his hands on the side of my arms. They slowly crept up and onto my back and he gently pulled me against him and then he kissed me. All reason went out the window. I hadn’t seen him in such a long time that his touch made me forget anything else. I could definitely feel the shift between us since the last time we saw each other. He pulled away but his face was only inches away from mine. I suddenly felt hungry but not for food. His hands ran up my arms, over my shoulders, down my back and then settled on my waist. I took a deep breath and then he kissed me again but this time it wasn’t like every other time, it was intense and I felt like my body was on fire. He slowly pulled away and put his hands on the side of my face, staring into my eyes.

“Wow.” I whispered.

“Is this okay?” He asked.

“Uh-huh...” I replied while nodding.

He resumed kissing me and I my hands ran down his back and pulled him closer. We were both breathing hard but after a brief moment, I pulled away. I knew where this was heading and suddenly I became nervous and my inexperience made me feel very insecure.

“Something wrong?” He asked. “Am I being too pushy?”

“No.” I replied, almost bashful. “It’s just that... um... well...”

“What?” He asked tenderly.

“I'm kind of nervous.”

“Me too.”

“And you should know that... well I... ” I cleared my throat. “Okay... here goes... I’ve never had a boyfriend before... so all this is new to me.” He smiled.

“It’s a first for me too.”

“Really?” I asked surprised. “Because it doesn’t seem like it.” He kind of laughed.

“I may not be Dean but I grew up with him and dad. Living with two other guys makes you figure out things early on.”

“Wow.” I commented, his hands still on my waist. “So this is a first for both of us?” He nodded. “Were you planning this?”

“It was at the back of my mind but I wasn’t going to pressure you and if you’re not into this I can put the brakes on right now.” He was serious.

I put my hand on his chest and felt the muscles underneath. My internal temperature rose and I looked up at him. He looked like he had matured 2 years since we last saw each other. He was taller and bulkier and his face, though still very striking, had a more manly look to it. I reached up and gently pulled his lips to mine and began kissing him with fervour. He broke away for a brief moment.

“You’re sure?” He asked.

“Yeah. I am.” I replied softly.

“Okay... well I brought protection... so you don’t have to worry.”

“You don’t have to worry. I’ve been on the pill for over a year now.”

“Really?” He was surprised.

“I figured I should be prepared in case things ever got serious... but if Dad knew, he’d kick my ass.”

“I bet.” He replied. “So we’re good?” He asked and looked me over.

“Hell yeah.” I said. He grinned and ran his hands up my back.

He pulled me against him and this time the heat penetrated every part of my body. He took his time savouring every kiss as he gently ran his hands over my body. He paused for a moment to remove his shirt and then slowly removed my sweater and unzipped my dress. I was nervous but eager at the same time. It was an odd sensation. Then he removed his pants and socks while I slipped out of the dress. We stood there in our underwear looking at each other’s bodies and committing every inch to memory. It occurred to me that we had never really seen each other undressed before. I only got a glimpse that one time when he was in his boxers but that was almost a year prior. I ran my hand over his abdomen and chest in awe. He looked at me for a moment and smiled before running his hands over my chest, my shoulders and to the middle of my back where he unhinged my bra. This was it. No going back. Once that piece of underwear came off... I wasn’t likely to keep the other one on. As the bra fell to the floor he kissed me again and his hands ran up my back, squeezing the skin underneath. It was incredible to feel his skin against mine as we were in each other’s embrace. His hands ran into my hair and I grabbed his butt. I felt him erect against me and I became nervous again. I shivered in anticipation though and I felt his hands lower from my hair to the top of my underwear. He very slowly pulled them down part way and I finished removing them while he took a step back and removed his own. Wow. What a sight to behold. I didn’t expect _that_. It’s one thing to see a man’s naked anatomy in a sex ed class but it’s quite another to see your boyfriend’s naked body in front of you, especially when he was well-endowed and damn beautiful.

“Wow.” I commented. He put a hand on the side of my face.

“You are beautiful.” He said and gently picked me up into his arms.

“So are you.” I replied. He kissed me as he carried me to the bed.

He pulled the covers back with one hand while I held onto him and then he gently set me down while lowering himself beside me. He leaned over me and began kissing my neck while his hands roamed over my body. My hands gripped his back while his kisses descended from my neck to my chest. Wow. That was amazing. I began to make little sounds at this point and I wasn’t sure if that was okay but it felt too good for me to care. I ran my hand over his body, squeezing gently. His hand moved over my abdomen and then further down. I swallowed hard. He paused for a moment and looked up at me.

“Are you ready?” He asked quietly.

“Yes.” I replied and swallowed hard.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I'm nervous but in a good way.”

“Me too.”

He very tenderly parted my legs and slowly began exploring my lower anatomy with precision. Omigod but that felt good and I began to moan at that point. I just couldn’t help it. It was unlike anything I had ever felt and I never wanted it to stop. I'm not sure how long he did it but all of a sudden I had what felt like a pleasure explosion and I gripped his back as I moaned loudly. Just after that he repositioned himself and lowered himself onto me. He pulled up my legs so the knees were bent on either side of him. A moment later I felt the penetration. It hurt a lot initially and I cried out but I was still in the afterglow of the explosion and when he began to thrust I felt another kind of pleasure at that point. I began moaning again.

“You okay?” He asked, taking his time.

“Uh-huh.” I replied as I took deep breaths.

“Am I hurting you?”

“In a good way.” I replied.

“You sure?”

“Yes.” I squeezed my hands on his butt. “Don’t stop.” Then he began to pick up the tempo.

Wow. It was one thing to know about sex, it was another to experience it. Holy crap. It was amazing. I gripped his back and cried out but not from pain. He began moaning and the thrusts got faster but then something else happened that I didn’t expect. My body began responding internally again and I had another explosion just before it sounded like he had his. I was pretty sure that nothing in the world could top that. _Absolutely nothing_. We were both breathing heavy and he stared down at me with a smile.

“Holy crap.” I commented.

“Wow.” He said and kissed me quickly on the lips.

“That was awesome.” I commented when he pulled away. I had a huge grin as I caught my breath.

He nodded and gave me a gentle kiss. He gently pulled out and moved beside me while covering us with the sheets.

“I never expected _that_.” I replied.

“Neither did I.” He agreed.

“Finally... something that lives up to the hype.” I blurted without thinking.

“You didn’t think it would be good?” He asked with an arched eyebrow.

“I didn’t know what to expect, actually. You hear things and then you wonder if it’s true.” I said. “Was it good for you?”

“Hell yeah but it’s always good for the guy. I’m more concerned about you. How are you feeling?”

“I think I'm good, at least right now.”

We both lied there, looking at each other as we rested our heads on the pillows.

“I love you.” He whispered before he gave me a kiss.

“I love you too.” I replied after the kiss. “Let’s never break up again.”

“Agreed.” He said with a smile.

It was hard to imagine the weekend getting any better than that. We laid there in bed staring at each other blissfully for a few minutes.

“I could stay here all night.” He said softly.

“Me too.”

I gazed over at the clock on my desk. I still had about four hours before Dad was due back but there was no way in hell that I was going to be caught in bed with Sam under his roof. NO way.

“But...” He smiled and waited for me to respond.

“Dad’s due back with the twins in a few hours and I can’t risk him finding you and me like this. He’ll kill you.”

“I bet.” He grinned. “We’ll get dressed in a few minutes right now I don’t want to move.”

“Me neither.”

He just stared at me with a smile as he interlocked his fingers with mine. Nothing was ever going to be the same, not after that experience. We could’ve stayed there just looking at each other for another hour but the sound of a car door closing made us sit up in a hurry. I winced slightly as he faced the window.

“Tell me it’s not them.” I replied as he moved the sheets off him, got out of bed and peeked out the window.

“We’re in the clear.” He said with a smile and looked back out the window, just to make sure.

I watched him with a grin, admiring his physique. It was then that I realized I felt a bit tender and it was unusually moist on the bed underneath me. I slowly got off the bed, wincing for a moment as the pain became more pronounced as I stood up and that’s when I saw it. The blood on the bed. Crap. I reached for the robe hanging on my door and wrapped it around myself. I didn’t want Sam to see the blood because I wasn’t sure how he would respond but it was too late.

“Whoa!” He stated and came over. “Are you alright?” He looked at the bed and then at me.

“I'm a bit sore but I'm okay.” My face turned red.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed. It’s a natural thing to happen after the first time.”

“I know... but it’s weird... and I didn’t want it to freak you out.”

“I’ve seen way worse things than that when we hunt—trust me this is nothing.” O-kay. I wasn’t sure what to make of that comment. “Here... you have a seat and I’ll change the sheets.” That was incredibly sweet.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you get dressed first?” I replied with a grin.

“Am I distracting you?”

“Uh—yeah!” I replied and he laughed.

“Okay...okay.” He laughed.

He put on his underwear, then he walked into the hall, opened the linen closet and pulled out a set of sheets. He made the bed and then helped me back to it. He then picked up the dirty sheets and put them in my clothes hamper on the far side of the room.

“I can walk, you didn’t cripple me or anything.”  
“But you’re in pain.”  
“Not that much.” I replied.

“I'm sorry.” He replied. “I tried to be gentle.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, trust me. I guess my body has to get used to yours.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes...” I replied. “I'm fine, really.”

“I should get you some pain relief though. It might help.”

“Medicine cabinet in the bathroom.”

He was there and back with a glass of water in under a minute. I smiled and took a couple of pills, washing them down with water and then handed the glass back to him.

“Thanks.” I replied.

He nodded and returned the bottle to the medicine cabinet while I got dressed in something simple and easy to put on. When he walked back in and noticed what I was doing he followed suit.

“Do you need help with anything?” He asked.

“No, I'm good but thanks.”

“So… I rented a room at a nice bed and breakfast about an hour away from here.”

“Really?”

“I got sick of the usual motels. For once I just wanted to stay somewhere that kind of felt like home or what a home should feel like.” Wow. That comment revealed a lot.

“Can’t say I blame you.” I replied.

“I can bring you back here later though... if you want. I don’t want you to think you have to stay overnight.”

It was obvious it was the last thing he wanted to do though.

“Why do you think I’m prepared?” I smiled and looked at the overnight bag and backpack.

“I didn’t want you to feel obligated.”

“I'm not. I’ve missed you and I want to spend as much uninterrupted time with you as possible. If you take me back home all the time then the trip there and back cuts into time that could be spent with each other.”

He gently pulled me against him.

“I’ve missed you too, trust me on that.”

“Good because I think we should get going just to be on the safe side.”

“Agreed.”

He picked up the bags and we walked downstairs. The second we stepped on the landing the doorbell rang and startled me which in turn caused me to wince from the jolt.

“You okay?” He whispered.

“Yeah.”

“You expecting anyone?”

“No, you should go hide somewhere.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, what if it’s someone who knows my dad?”

“Fine.” He set the overnight bags on the floor in the hall and then snuck off into the kitchen to stay out of sight.

I slowly opened the front door. My heart began to beat nervously as Tyler stared down at me and gave an uneasy smile.

“Hey.” He said. “Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I'm good.” I replied with a smile as he smoothly made his way into the hall.

“I called earlier but there wasn’t any answer. I got worried.”

“I can take care of myself.” I replied.

“Says the girl who’s been attacked twice and ended up in the hospital the last time.” He had a point.

“Touché.” I replied. His lips went into a straight line as he noticed the bags on the floor. Crap.

“You going somewhere?”

“I was planning to spend the weekend with Bonnie and Elena at the lake house, remember?”

“I thought you said you were seeing Sam this weekend?”

“I said I hoped I was.” He studied my expression for a moment and frowned.

“You’re lying.” He replied. “And you’re not very good at it.” I lowered my eyes. “What are you trying to hide?”

Before I could answer Sam walked out of the kitchen and into the hall. Damn it. Way to open a can of worms.

“What the hell are you doing skulking in the back of her house like a thief?” Tyler commented.

“We thought you might be a friend of my dad’s.”

“Big deal.” Tyler replied. “So what if Sam’s here?” We didn’t respond and that’s when it hit him. “Are you planning on going away with _him_?” He was pissed. “Is that why you have bags packed?”

“I'm not running away or anything.”

“You’re planning on sneaking off to a motel or something?” I didn’t answer and he glared at Sam.

“It’s really none of your business what she does.” Sam replied coldly.

“The hell it isn’t. I'm the one who picks up the pieces after you disappear for a while. So what’s the deal here? You going to take her to a motel get some action and then leave her alone for another 8 months?”

“Tyler...” I said but he put a hand up to motion for me to stop. Sam clenched his jaw.

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” Sam said and stepped closer to him.

“Then feel free to clarify.” Tyler replied.

“I don’t have to justify my actions to you.” He replied.

It looked like they were going to get into a fight but I slowly got between them.

“Come on guys... don’t fight. Please.” Sam backed off a few steps but Tyler stood his ground so I looked at him. “Ty.”

“Nina, what are you thinking? You said you were going to resolve things... exactly how does shacking up with a guy who’s never around resolve anything?”

“Don’t talk to her like that.” Sam said angrily.

“What? Am I wrong?” Tyler snapped at Sam.

“I don’t want Dad to know that Sam’s here.”

“Why not? I just don’t get it. If he’s such a great guy then what’s the big damn deal if your dad knows he’s here?”

“Because you don’t know my dad.” I replied.

“I know he’s protective of you and he loves you and I sure as hell know he wouldn’t want his daughter sneaking off to some shady motel with a guy he’s never met.”

“Like you’re any better.” Sam retorted.

“Excuse me?” Tyler glared at him.

“You’re no saint. You don’t think I know what you were up to when I went to the same school? I heard everything and now you’re trying to come off as some prince with pure motives? Really? What a crock!”

“You have no idea what my motives are when it comes to Nina so back the hell off.” Tyler snapped.

“It’s pretty obvious what your motives are.” Sam replied.

“Said the guy who wants to covertly take her to a motel and get laid.”

“That’s not what this is about.” Sam snapped back.

“Then where the hell have you been for the better part of a year? Why haven’t you called or even written to her?”

Sam looked at me with a glimmer of pain in his eyes at the thought I had confided in Tyler.

“She didn’t tell me by the way, I could just tell. That’s what happens when you spend time with someone and get to know who they are, you figure out what’s behind their expressions when they’re trying to hide a broken heart.”

“Tyler, that’s enough.” I said quietly.

“No, I don’t think it is. You said you were going to have an honest talk with him about your feelings. I'm guessing that hasn’t happened because you got lost in his puppy dog eyes the moment he walked into the room.” _Ouch_.

Sam looked right at me.

“What feelings?” He asked and I bit my lower lip.

“Her feelings about how you’re never around and I am.” Tyler replied and Sam frowned.

“What?” Sam answered angrily and looked at me. “Is there something going on here that I don’t know about?”

“There’s a lot going on here you don’t know about.” Tyler replied and Sam shoved him against the wall.

“What have you done to her?” Sam practically growled at him.

“Me? Nothing. I’ve been a real friend to her, someone who’s there for her through everything. She doesn’t have to worry about me.” Sam stared at Tyler intently until he answered. “Fine, we’ve kissed a few times.”

Sam released Tyler and looked at me.

“Is that true?” Sam asked.

“Don’t you dare get angry at her! It’s not like she knew what the hell was going on with you.”

“Is it?” Sam asked firmly.

“Yes.” I mumbled.

“Great.” Sam muttered and threw his hands into the air.

“You don’t have a right to be angry.” Tyler said.

“Ty... stop.” I said and tried to approach Sam. “Sam we can talk about this later.”

Sam walked into the living room to clear his head and get a break from the situation. I almost followed but Tyler grabbed my arm.

“Tyler I think you should go.” I stated.

“He has no right to be angry with you.” He stated. I didn’t answer. “Nina...” His nostrils flared.

Well... that was weird. It’s like he could smell something. I looked around but when I faced him his eyes widened.

“You didn’t.” He whispered. “Tell me you _didn’t_ have sex with him...”

“Um...” I stammered and he put his hands on my shoulders.

“Here?” He whispered again.

I didn’t answer. I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. When Sam noticed Tyler’s hands on my shoulders he began walking toward us but without notice Tyler walked over to Sam and smashed him in the face with a hard-right hook. It sent him to the floor.

“Tyler!” I exclaimed. “What the hell?”

“You son of a bitch! I can’t believe you took advantage of her like that!” Tyler’s fist was still clenched.

I ran into the room and pulled on his arm while Sam stood up and gently rubbed his face. He was furious and his fist was clenched.

“Please... Ty... just go.”

“What do you think your dad will say when he finds out?”

“I bet you’ll be the first one to tell him.” Sam snapped.

“Go to hell.” Tyler replied angrily.

“Please don’t tell him— _please_.” I pleaded.

“Ugh!” Tyler replied in an exasperated tone.

Without warning he abruptly left without saying anything else and slammed the door behind him.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I walked over to Sam.

“I'm fine.” He replied coldly and walked past me.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t see a point in staying.” _Ouch_.

“You’re kidding right? You’re just going to leave, _again_?” Tears streamed down my face and he stopped.

“You should’ve told me the truth.” He said.

“Said the guy with his multiple secrets.” I replied. “You were never around; you didn’t stay in touch like you promised. Just when the hell was I supposed to tell you anything?”

“How about when I first got here?”

“Oh right... you’re five seconds in the door and I'm going to be like _‘um... yeah Sam, Tyler and I kissed...’_ Come on! I was trying to find the right time to tell you exactly how I felt. I didn’t know I’d feel hypnotized when I saw you or that we’d get caught up in each other and end up having sex right away.”

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed unhappily.

“So what now?” I asked.

“How could he tell that we had sex?”

“I don’t know, keen senses? It’s not like I told him anything.” I replied. He was deep in thought.

“First thing we should do is probably leave before anyone else walks through that door.” He stated calmly.

“Together?” I asked. “Or are you planning on taking off again?” I replied curtly.  
“Yes, _together_.” He replied with a sigh. “Figured you’d know me better than that, especially after...”

“Yeah well you seemed like you were going to bail.”

“I wanted to clear my head but it’s not like I was going to ditch you. I'm not thrilled about Tyler getting in my face but I also can’t blame you for being confused when I was never around. Either way we can’t just stay and talk about it here. Your dad will be back eventually and we need to get out of here before he does find out the truth.”

He picked up my bags and carried them out the front door while I set the alarm and locked the house. I followed him to his truck and he helped me inside. He closed the door behind me then got in on the driver’s side. He sat still for a moment before putting the key in the ignition and starting the truck. I belted myself in and finally he put it in gear and we began to drive away. He was quiet for a while. I kept looking at him. I just couldn’t help but notice how he appeared a bit more mature since the last time I saw him not that he had aged but it was obvious that he had been through something major. To break the tension I tried to start up a conversation.

“So are you growing out your hair on purpose?” I asked.

“We were in the middle of nowhere for a while and I don’t trust Dean with scissors because he’d buzz it off like his... so I just let it go.”

“And the stubble?”

“I'm usually fresh shaven but lately I’ve wanted to grow it a bit, you know for a change.”

“I know exactly what you mean.”

“You always have such nice hair.” He said as he took a quick look at me.

“Thanks... I also needed a change.” I replied. “I did it for my birthday.” His lips went into a straight line.

“I know it’s no excuse but we’re not really big on birthdays in our family... but for what it’s worth I am sorry I missed it.”

And yet I always remembered his without fail. I didn’t reply. My lips went into a straight line. After a few minutes he finally responded.

“I really dropped the ball, didn’t I?” He asked quietly.

“With respect to my birthday?”

“With respect to a lot of things.”

“You had your reasons I guess.” I replied quietly and stared out the window.   
“But I broke my promise not to hurt you and for that I'm very sorry.” I looked over at him.

“You didn’t do it intentionally... right?”

“No... but I'm sure it hurts the same.” I stayed quiet. He reached over and grabbed my hand. “I wish I could take it back.”

“I know you do.”

“So I'm guessing the resolution you’re looking for is the reason why it was so important for you to see me.” He said.

I swallowed hard. This was not the conversation I wanted to have with him after we had sex for the first time. It almost seemed like an afterthought. It should’ve been the first thing I addressed and not the last thing that came to mind. Tyler was right. I got lost in Sam’s puppy dog eyes when I saw him but the moment I felt his hands on my arms and the passionate kiss it made me lose all sense. After that I was putty in his hands.

“I'm not sure we should talk about it right now.”

“We have nothing but time to waste for the next while.”

“I should’ve talked to you about this before we... we...”

“Had sex?” He finished my thought.

“Um... yeah.” I replied. “Not that I regret what happened...”

“I sure as hell don’t.” Wow. Okay.

Kind of figured that’s how a guy would feel—usually they’re not the ones with the most to lose in that situation.

“Uh—that came out differently than I meant.” He said. “I wasn’t trying to be a pig. I just meant that it was special to me.”

“It _was_.” I agreed quietly. He sighed.

“Look, we have to talk anyway because I have some major questions after Tyler barged in on us. So why don’t you start?”

“Okay. So... I'm not really sure how to say this especially after... but I’ll do my best to be honest and not sound like a bitch.”

“Sometimes the truth hurts.” He said. “But it doesn’t mean you’re a bitch.”

“Maybe not to you... but anyway… here goes...” I paused and took a deep breath. “I know that I said I could deal with the gaps when we don’t see or talk to each other but after almost a couple of years... I just can’t handle it anymore. I need someone to be there for me. I don’t mean every day but it has to be more often than once every month or two. There have been times when it was as much as 6 or 7 months without a call, email—nothing. I can’t do that anymore. I know you can’t tell me what you and your family are up to and I can respect that but I can’t have a boyfriend who’s never around or doesn’t even have a minute or two to call, email or send a postcard letting me know he’s alive. You don’t know what goes through my mind during those long stretches of time. I try not to assume the worst but it’s hard not to when I'm not given any alternative. For all I know you have a girlfriend in every town you go to.” He shook his head.

“I don’t, trust me. You’re _it_.”

“Well what else am I supposed to think when I never hear from you?”

“It’s a valid point.”

“The bottom line is that I need more than that.”

He considered everything I said and gently squeezed my hand. I felt warm all over and I tried to ignore it.

“I'm sorry I wasn’t there for you. You’re right—you need more than that—hell I need more than that, which is why I’ve decided to make some major changes in that regard.”

“Was this before or after we had sex?” I asked curiously.

“Before... though I can see why you’d assume it was after. Contrary to Tyler’s comments I’m not just some guy who wants to get off with no regard to how you feel but exactly how would it benefit me if that was the purpose when I hardly saw you?”

“Good question.”

“If that’s all this was I wouldn’t bother wanting anything but a booty call. I sure as hell wouldn’t have invested so much time or energy if all I needed was to get laid. Believe me I know how it works—Dean is the consummate player. I know the pickup lines and the tricks if getting laid is all I wanted.”

“Fair enough.” I answered. “So seeing you on a regular basis... is it going to be possible in light of everything you face?”  
“I'm going to make it possible.” He replied. “I'm tired of living without you in my life.” Wow.

“Me too.” I replied. “But what do your dad or Dean say about this?”

“I'm not going to tell them.” He answered resolutely.

“What?” I asked perplexed. “Why not? After all this time maybe we should come clean about this.”

“No.” He shook his head. “They’ll make matters worse, albeit unintentionally—but they will and I can’t have that.”

“Where do they think you are right now?”

“Bunking with a friend of the family.” He replied. “He’s going to cover for me.”

“He knows the truth and is okay with it?”

“He gets how I feel.”

“So he knows about me?”

“I didn’t tell him the specifics but he knows that there is someone important in my life and I have to make time for her.” He replied. “At first I wasn’t sure how he was going to react but then he seemed happy about it and said he wouldn’t tell my dad.”

“He doesn’t know my name?”

“No.” He answered. “The less he knows the better.”

“So you don’t think I should tell my dad either?” I asked curiously.

“I think it will stir a pot if you do it right now. Maybe we should wait until we get the hang of this... plus what if he does hear the truth from Tyler? That will make things more difficult for us. It’s best to wait it out.”

“Okay.” I answered. “But I can’t put it off forever. If you’re going to be in my life on a more permanent basis then I have to tell him eventually.”

“Makes sense.” He answered. “But you better be prepared that your dad isn’t going to like anyone you date.”

“Depends on who, I guess.”

“What?”

“Well if he’s met someone he thinks is a good contender that’s different.”

“Ugh.” He sighed unhappily. “He likes Tyler.”

“Pretty sure I already mentioned this to you... didn’t I?”

“Maybe I blocked it out.” Or maybe he just didn’t want to think about it at all. “I really did miss you.”

“I missed you too.”

“It’s not that I didn’t want to contact you—I didn’t have a lot of time alone and the time I did have I was sleeping.”

“I get it.” I replied.

“The reason Tyler gets under my skin besides his asinine behaviour is that at the back of my mind, every time I was away and couldn’t see you... I thought you might move on to someone else and you would’ve had every right to. There was a part of me that knew even though you said you’d wait—it just wasn’t fair to you.”

“Truthfully I almost did move on...” I replied hesitantly.

“With Tyler.” It wasn’t a question. “Hence the kissing.”

“It’s not like we had make out sessions or anything. A few spontaneous moments, that’s it, but I couldn’t let you go. I thought owed it to you to be honest about how I felt and to see if we could really make things work before I made any decisions.”

He wasn’t happy but he sighed and came to some sort of inner conclusion.

“I can’t blame you for liking the guy... he’s there for you when I haven’t been.”

“It’s not exactly like that Sam.”

“You do have feelings for him, I can see it.”

“Not like I do for you... but let’s be honest. I'm human. I was hurt when I didn’t hear from you. A part of me understood but the other part of me thought if I really mattered to you then you’d do something to stay in touch; an email, a call, a postcard— _something_... but you didn’t and it hurt like hell. I tried to hide it from everyone but Tyler saw right through the act.”

“So he took advantage?”

“No, actually he didn’t. We just hung out and he was a good friend to me. I mean... well... yes he kissed me a few times and it got me thinking about what it would be like to have a boyfriend there more than just once in a while but I stopped it because of my feelings for you. I was honest with him about it and he didn’t like it but he accepted it. After that I just poured myself into schoolwork, training and such.”

“Training?” He arched an eyebrow.

“More Self defense classes.” I replied.

“You’re already quite a proficient fighter.” He replied.

“Dad got a bit paranoid after I got attacked.” I answered.

“With good reason.”

“I can hold my own, believe me.”

“You forget I saw you in action.”

“Right.”

“So... about Tyler…”

“What do you want to know?” I asked.

“Do I have anything to worry about?”

“Did you not hear what I just said?”

“I did but I think you’re downplaying your feelings for him.” Ugh.

“Fine.” I sighed. “I care about him a lot.”

“Do you love him?” _Ouch_. I didn’t want to answer the question. He briefly looked over at me. “Do you?”

“Kind of... I guess.” I answered.

“Nina, come on. Be honest with me.”

“Fine. Okay... I do, but it’s not like how I feel about you.”

“If you had to choose one of us...”

“You.” I interrupted.

“So if I told you I don’t want you hanging around him anymore...” I let go of his hand.  
“You’re kidding right?” I frowned.

“No. He loves you, he hates me, and you love him. I think it’s pretty clear how inappropriate it would be if you continued to stay friends with him.”

“Sam it’s more complicated than that. He’s best friends with Matt who’s with Elena, one of my best friends. I can’t just cut him out of my life. We all hang out together.” He sighed unhappily again.

“Fine... then just not alone anymore.”

“Deal.” I replied. “But I'm not cutting him out of my life. We are friends after all.”

“As long as he can respect your boundaries I don’t care.”

“He will.” I replied but it didn’t look like Sam was convinced. He didn’t say anything though, he just stayed quiet.

Before we knew it we arrived at the bed and breakfast. It was on the outskirts of town but the scenery was beautiful and the residence itself was breathtaking. After he parked the truck and carried our stuff inside I followed him upstairs to the second floor. He opened the door to the room and turned the light on. I looked around the room. It had high ceilings and a lot of hard wood, which I loved. I put the backpack beside the overnight bag and sat down.

“Wow this is really nice.” I stated as he put the overnight bag on the floor beside a gorgeous love seat.

“I wanted to get a nice place for us.”

“I love it.”

“I figured you would.”

“Is that why you chose it?”

“Yeah. I wanted this weekend to be special.”

“It is special, whether we’re here or not.”

“Sure but this is different.” He replied. I know, I could literally feel it.

“It represents a fresh start for us.” I surmised.

“Yes and a renewed commitment.” Huh. That sounded major.

“Hence what happened earlier at my place?”

“Yes and believe it or not it wasn’t my plan to do that right away. I wanted to come back here, catch up on things and then maybe, hopefully...”

“So what changed your mind?”

“I missed you so much and you were standing there looking gorgeous in that dress and everything went out the window. I just wanted to kiss you and I thought that would be enough... but of course the second I touched you I didn’t want to let you go.” _Ditto_.

“Same here.” I looked up into his eyes. He almost appeared sad.

“Are you okay? Did something happen?” I asked. “You seem different, almost sad.”

“I had an epiphany.” He replied quietly. “It was the result of something that happened on a hunt with Dad and Dean.” I didn’t like the sound of that. “In the middle of a particularly challenging hunt I ended up getting knocked around and hitting my head pretty bad I ended up in a coma.” He stated quietly. My eyes widened.

“What? Omigod! When the hell was this?”

“Not too long ago and really I'm fine now. Oddly enough there wasn’t a lot of external damage, it was more internal but when I was unconscious my life kind of flashed before my eyes. All I could think about was the direction my life was heading and how empty it was. Then I got a quick glimpse of what it would be like with you in it, _permanently_ , and it changed the way I saw everything.”

“Permanently?”

“Yeah. I saw how it could be for us if we stayed together and I want that future. I know it may not be easy and there will be some obstacles in the way but I know this can work.” Wow.

“Are you saying what I think you are?”

“Yeah... kind of. I mean I don’t have an engagement ring or anything but that’s where my head’s at.”

“But we’re so young to make that kind of commitment, aren’t we?”

“I don’t think so.” He replied. “We’ve both been through a hell of a lot. We know who we are, what we like and what we want.” That was true. “And I want to be with _you_ , period.”

“I want to be with you too... but... this just seems so sudden...”

“I'm not saying let’s elope tomorrow. I'm just saying that I see us together for the long haul. College and afterward. I can see us getting married eventually and having kids. Finally having a nice, happy life.”

Sixteen was pretty young to be thinking about marriage... although he wasn’t thinking about it right away, just down the road, I had to admit; it was an appealing future. That’s what most girls want. A great guy to spend their life with... and I found him at sixteen? How was that possible?

“I'm kind of freaking you out right now... aren’t I?” He said after I didn’t respond.

“I'm just trying to picture it.”

“I’m not saying rush into it; I'm just trying to give you an idea of what I want; what I see in our future. You were honest about what you wanted, needed. Now it’s my turn.” He paused. “Are we on the same page?”

He risked a lot by being that vulnerable to me, especially after the debacle with Tyler. Not many guys were that open but then not many guys had been through what he had, what we _both_ had.

“It’s a nice picture.” I commented with a smile. “And I can see myself in it.”

“Are you sure? I'm not pressuring you?”  
“No. You’re really not.”

“This isn’t because we had sex... is it?”

“No...I mean that was freaking awesome but... I love you. You bring joy to my life and I guess I forgot what that was like. I’ve lived without it for so long that now I have it I don’t want to lose it.”

He picked me up and hugged me closed to him while giving me a kiss. After a moment, he put me down but kept his hands on the side of my face.

“You do realize... if this is where we’re heading then I will have to meet your family and vice versa.” I asked.

“I'm cool with that as long as it’s not right away.”

“Why are you so afraid of me meeting them?” I asked.

“I don’t want them to ruin what we have.”

“How could they?” I asked and he shook his head.

“I’ll get into that some other time but I didn’t bring you here to talk about them all weekend. I came here to spend time with you.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Honestly? I'm famished.”

“Me too.”

“We missed dinner here…but I think I saw a tavern in town, they usually serve food.”

“Nothing healthy.” I replied with a grin. “Not that I care. I'm beyond hungry at this point.”

“You’re not the only one.” He replied.

“I just want to have a quick shower, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure. I’ll get us settled in.”

I showered as quickly as I could and the pain seemed to lessen a bit or it could have been the pain relief. I took another couple of pain relievers when I got out of the shower and then put a simple shirt, sweater, and skirt on. I dried my hair mostly before letting the curls fall naturally at my shoulders. When I came out of the bathroom he smiled.

“You look nice.”

“Thanks.”

“Are you going to have a shower?”

“I’ll have one later.”

“Okay... then let’s eat.”

We drove into town and the sports tavern was on the main street. He parked the truck, we got out, and he grabbed my hand. He opened the door and we walked in. We found an empty table in the middle of the place and I looked around, trying to get a feel for it.

“What do you think?” He asked with a grin as he held his hands out, waiting for a response.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and smiled.

“Looks good to me.” I commented before sitting down.

We ordered a platter and then talked between bites here and there. He told me about some of the towns and cities they visited. He mentioned funny stories about some of the residents and different pranks that he and Dean pulled on each other to stave off the boredom. He watched me intently while I laughed. Then shortly after that we played billiards for roughly 30 minutes before he paid the tab and suggested we head back. I agreed and he grabbed my hand as we walked outside.

“I like this town.” I replied.

“It’s nice here.” He said. “We passed through a few years back. I remember thinking it was too bad we couldn’t stay.”

“You sure can pick a place. You have great taste.” I commented.

“Comes with being on the road all the time.” He said. “It’s like second nature now.”

When we got back to our room suddenly I felt exhausted. After spending most of our time intimately baring our souls, physically and emotionally, with his scuffle with Tyler and then catching up I almost felt like I had no energy. He moved a bit closer to me.

“I am kind of beat.”

“Me too.” He said. That’s when I noticed a bruise forming around his eye and upper cheek.

“How’s your face?” I asked as I gently touched the area.

“I’ve had worse.” He replied.

“I can’t imagine.”

“Yeah you can— _hello_ you were attacked, remember?”

“I can’t remember anything about it, at least not after the dance. I remember the incident on the highway with those creepy guys...but even that is kind of fuzzy.” It was obvious this bothered him but he didn’t comment. “Um...I’m going to change; do you need the bathroom right away?”

“Actually, I think I’ll shower in the morning.” He said. “I’ll just brush my teeth and wash my face.”

I walked into the bathroom, put my pyjamas on, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. When I came out he was in a t-shirt and pair of jogging pants. He walked into the bathroom and got ready for bed. I stared at the Queen-sized bed. I didn’t think I was ever going to look at a bed the same way again. Not now.

“Which side you do you sleep on?” He asked with a grin as he walked out of the bathroom.

“Doesn’t matter to me.” I replied.

“Same here.” He commented. “After being on the road a lot, you’re thankful to have a nice bed to sleep in.”

“Jeez. I bet.” I commented as I got into bed.

He locked the room door and then shut off all the lights except for the one on the nightstand. Then he crawled in beside me and shut it off. I snuggled up to him and he put an arm around me. I was out within seconds.

I didn’t want to wake up. I was so comfortable beside him that I didn’t want to move. Shockingly enough he still had an arm around me and I liked the feeling too much to get up but...I had to use the washroom, damn it. I gently picked up his arm but the second I did he woke up and smiled at me.

“Good morning beautiful.” He said with a grin and then kissed me. “How did you sleep?”

I put a hand in front of my mouth, paranoid that I had morning breath.

“Good.” I mumbled.

“What are you doing?” He grinned.

“I have morning breath.” I replied.

“So do I, I'm assuming.” Yeah...but it didn’t bother me so much.

“I just don’t want to knock you out.” I answered. He laughed again and pulled my hand down.

“Oh stop. You’re fine, really.” He replied.

“I have to use the washroom...” I stated as I gazed into his gorgeous green eyes.

“You’re going to brush your teeth, aren’t you?” He grinned. Huh...not initially but that was a great idea.

“Well if I'm already in there...” I smiled. He gave me a quick peck on the lips.

“Go ahead then.” He smiled, moved the covers, and got out of bed while I stood up.

I used the facilities and brushed my teeth. I figured as long as I was up I might as well have a shower. I peeked outside the door.

“Do you have to use the washroom before I have a shower?”

“Why don’t you let me have a shower first? Then I can get us some breakfast.”

“That’s a good idea.” I replied and let him in.

He walked over to me and looked down into my eyes as he put a hand on my waist. I felt like I was heating up and I could barely move. He leaned down and kissed me again but this time he lingered a bit. When he finished he grinned.

“Minty fresh.” He commented. “But honestly your breath wasn’t that bad.”

“You’re biased.”

“No... I think you’re too hard on yourself.”

“Whatever...smooth talker.” I replied and gave him a playful shove. “Hurry up and shower so that I can get ready.”

He pretended to salute me and chuckled when I gave him a shove. He walked inside and shut the door. As he showered I opened my overnight bag and removed a white t-shirt and a pair of beige Capri pants. I put my undergarments on top and grabbed the bag with the rest of my toiletries. Not even 15 minutes later he walked out in a towel. Wow. Seeing him in all his glory was never going to get old. I stared at him for a moment.

“Shower’s all yours.” He replied and began rummaging through his duffel bag.

“Thanks.” I replied quietly and walked into the bathroom before I got lost in a trance staring at him.

I showered and got ready relatively quick compared to if I was hanging out with my girlfriends. When I walked out of the bathroom he was dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt with pale blue stripes and a pair of jeans.

“You look nice.” He stated with a smile.

“And you clean up good.” I answered as I put a hand through his damp hair.

“So... breakfast?” He answered, almost as though he was trying to change the subject.

“Sure.” I looked around the room but it was curiously empty of food.

“They have a buffet downstairs.”

“Oh, great.” I smiled and he grabbed my hand, leading me out of the room.

There were a few other couples in the dining room but we had a table in the corner to ourselves. We filled our plates and ate heartily while I commented about the decor. When we finished eating, his fingers interlocked with mine and he led me out to the backyard of the building where there was a bench amidst the many trees. It was breathtaking. He sat down on the bench and I followed suit, still holding his hand. We sat there for a short while and I leaned my head against his shoulder savouring the view and quietly enjoying his company. I'm not sure how long we sat there in silence but it was oddly peaceful and I could tell he enjoyed the serenity of it all. It must have been a nice break from everything he was exposed to.

“I wish we could do this every day.” He mumbled quietly.

“Me too.”

“I love you, Nina.”

“I love you too, Sam.”

“I’m sorry for the hell I put you through.”

“It’s in the past.” I replied.

“I didn’t mean to push you away. I was just so scared that I would bring my work into your life and you would get caught in the fallout.”

“I’m glad you finally told me the truth.” I replied. “It makes it a lot easier to understand why you pushed me away.”

“I’ll never do it again.” He replied. “I learned my lesson.”

“How are we going to make this work?” I asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know but I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Me too.” I replied. “But no more secrets.”

“Deal.” He gently squeezed my hand before letting it go and then standing up. I arched an eyebrow.

“Bored?” I teased.

“No. I'm never bored with you around.” He replied reaching for my hand and I obliged.

He gently tugged at my hand and then guided me along the pathway where we walked in the back of the gorgeous property.

“So what did you want to do today?” I asked.

He stopped and faced me, putting his hands around my waist and pulling me against him.

“Whatever you want.” He said.

“Let’s walk around town for a bit, check out the stores, and maybe later see a movie.”

“Shopping?” He arched an eyebrow.

“I just want to do normal things with you. It’s been so long since we’ve been together that we could just sit on the couch and that would be fine by me.”

“I'm not going to keep you cooped up all weekend in that room.” He smiled. “Let’s go do some normal things.”

“Yay!” I smiled and he chuckled.

It was refreshing to just hang with him without worrying about someone interrupting us. We watched a comedy at the movie theatre, walked around the main street going into different stores and looking at things. By the time we had our fill of wandering around it was close to dinner time. He eyed a few restaurants and suggested eating out but I had a better idea.

“Why don’t we rent some Bruce Lee movies, get some takeout, and stay in our room.” I asked.

“I like Bruce Lee but why don’t we watch something else?”

“Like what?”

“Lord of the Rings?” He replied.

“I love Tolkien but isn’t that a bit dark?”

“There are some fun moments.”

“Aside from them being in a constant battle to survive.” I quipped.

“True but I like the story of an underdog. I mean come on… hobbits conquering the evil dark lord? That’s epic.”

“We are creepily alike.” I commented. “Okay, I'm game.”

We picked up Chinese takeout and rented the trilogy on pay-per-view. We ate as we watched the first movie, rarely taking our eyes off the screen except to look at each other. Then we just cuddled and watched the rest of it.

“I love Gandalf.” I said as I watched the movie.

“Yeah, me too.”

“Which makes me so pissed at Saruman and the damn Balrog.” I added, annoyed. He grinned.

“You certainly are loyal to things you care about.”

“Damn right I am. If I was in the movie I’d be someone like Eowyn. I wouldn’t go down without a fight and I would die to protect the ones I love.”

“I totally see you doing that.” Sam smiled as he gazed into my eyes. “You’ve got a strong spirit.”

“So do you. You’re fearless.”

“I'm not fearless I just find a way to conquer my fears.”

“Me too, I guess.” I replied.

“And being here with you is one of the ways I'm doing that.” _Huh...that was interesting_.

“You’re afraid to be with me?” I asked hesitantly.

“I'm afraid something will happen to you but I figure you’re safer _with_ me than without me.”

“I feel safe with you.” I smiled.   
“Good.” He kissed my cheek and got up to change the movie. “Want to watch the other two?” I nodded.

But before he could put the movie in his cell phone started ringing. I arched an eyebrow.

“Are you expecting any phone calls?” I asked.

“No.” He replied but looked to see if it gave off a number. There wasn’t one. “Hello?” He asked uneasily.

“Good, you’re alive.” A gruff voice commented.

“Oh hey.” Sam replied. “Of course, I am.”

“I told you to call me when you got there, remember?”

“Sorry...I got distracted.”

“I figured as much. She must be a real looker to distract you.”

“She is.” Sam winked at me.

“Your dad called to check in on you.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him you ran off with some pretty girl—what do you think I said?” He replied and Sam laughed. “I told him I put you to work in the garage.”

“What did he say to that?”

“He laughed, said it was about time.”

“I bet.”

“Doesn’t hurt to know some things about cars, boy.”

“I know but that’s more Dean’s thing.”

“Oh I know, you’re the Brainiac of the family.” He commented. “Anyway, you’re in the clear and don’t have to worry about your dad looking for you.”

“Good.”

“Why don’t you just come clean about her?”

“Because they’ll ruin it.” Sam paused. “You know they will.”

“Yeah well the lifestyle doesn’t turn you into the family of the year.” He replied but Sam stayed quiet. “For the record, if you can make a life outside of this one I'm all for it. I want to see you boys happy. God knows you deserve it.”

“So do you.”

“That ship sailed long ago but I’ll make do. As far as this girl is concerned if she’s special to you, hold onto her.”

“I will.” Sam looked at me.  
“For guys like us...happiness doesn’t come around often so you need to appreciate what you have.”

“Oh, I do, believe me.”

“She sounds special.”

“She is.”

“Maybe I’ll meet her one day.”  
“I hope so.”

“Well...get going and stop ignoring her.” He said and Sam smiled while ending the call.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“Family friend.”  
“Sounds more like your family by the sounds of your conversation.”

“I guess you could say that, I’ve known him since I was a kid.” That made me think of John.

“I know someone like that. Family friend but more like family himself.”

“It’s nice isn’t it?” He asked. “To know that someone besides your blood has your back?”

“Yeah, it is.” He began the second movie in but I stood up. He had a puzzled expression on his face. “Bathroom break.”

When I finished using the facilities I brushed my teeth and my hair. For some reason...I had a feeling things were about to go to another level but I wasn’t sure why. I put the brush down and left the bathroom. He was pouring himself a glass of pop. I stood there watching the movie and grinned.

“You kind of remind me of Aragorn.” I said and he gazed at me in shock.

“Seriously?” He put the glass down and walked over to me.  
“Yeah, you’ve got that whole tall, dark, mysterious thing about you but when push comes to shove you can kick ass.” I put a hand on his face. “Plus, the whole stubble thing...it’s kind of sexy.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. It’s a good look for you.” I nodded.

He put a hand on the side of my arm and I got goosebumps all the way up to my shoulder. He leaned in to kiss me and lingered a bit. The emotional climate in the room shifted and we suddenly forgot all about the movie and concentrated on each other.

“Are you okay? I don’t want to do anything if you’re still sore…”

“I’m fine.” I smirked.

The clothes ended up on the floor and we ended up in bed, taking advantage of the privacy and not being paranoid about someone walking in on us.

We fell asleep in each other’s arms before the movie was done. It didn’t matter. We were happy and that is all that mattered. For once I didn’t dream about anything. It was odd. I had a full night’s rest but it was a dreamless sleep. I felt complete and utter elation but didn’t have any dreams to coincide with it. I wouldn’t have minded dreaming about Sam, especially since we intensified our bond.

I wasn’t entirely sure how my first time would be but I heard all the stories. They tend to circulate amongst the girls who hadn’t experienced it yet. Most of the stories I heard were bad, _really_ bad. The most common were that the guys were selfish jerks who didn’t care about the girl as long as they got off. I knew it wouldn’t be the case with Sam. I knew that the first day I met him. He just seemed way too sweet to be so selfish, his brother on the other hand, he might fall into that category but I couldn’t be sure. Appearances were always deceiving. As far as I knew, neither Bonnie nor Elena had sex yet but at least, if the subject ever came up and I had the guts to be honest, I had something good to tell them. I was certain that Sam was in a class of his own. He stood out from amongst the other guys. Whatever mistakes his dad or Dean made—Sam learned from them and did the opposite; I was sure of it.

In the morning, I felt Sam’s hand on my bare waist. It felt good. When I opened my eyes I noticed he was staring at me.

“What are you doing?”

“Watching you sleep.”

“Um— _why_?”

“Because you look cute when you sleep.”

“I do?”

“You also make cute sounds.”

“Like what?”

“You sigh happily.”

“I am happy.”

“So am I.”

He leaned in to kiss me and the second he did I felt warm, everywhere. Wow. I was in the mood, again, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it. I didn’t want to seem like a freak. The kissing intensified and that’s when I felt his erection against the side of my leg. I guess he was in the mood too. Without warning I tugged him toward me and he stopped kissing me and he arched an eyebrow.

“What?” I asked.

“Are you sure you’re not sore?” He studied my face to make sure I would be honest. How sweet was that?

“I'm pretty sure that the other feelings have overridden anything else.” I smirked.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah.” I rubbed my hand up his chest and pulled his face to mine.

He kissed me and before I knew it he had maneuvered onto me and was kissing me everywhere. Suffice to say that we spent the whole morning in bed trying different positions and enjoying each other’s bodies. It was an incredible thing to experience. When we were finally done instead of showering separately we did it together. At first, we just felt each other’s wet bodies but then we kissed and without even thinking of it...found a way to have sex standing up against the wall. I don’t even remember how we managed not to slip and kill ourselves but it was a beautiful moment. We washed ourselves afterward and once we rinsed off we stared at each other.

“Damn you’re beautiful.” He said as he traced my cheek with is index finger.

“This is going to sound so cliché I suppose but I really love you Sam, more than I ever knew was possible.”

“Same here.” He replied. “You’re more important to me than anything.”

“I never want to let go of this moment.”

“Neither do I but if I don’t eventually take you back I'm sure your dad will send out a search party.”

“True.” I smiled.

We dried off, got dressed, and decided to have lunch since we missed breakfast. Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t as sore as I probably should have been. He was paranoid about it though and kept asking me if I was alright. After the fourth time, I told him I was going to hit him with something if he asked me again. He laughed and agreed to stop.

“I wish I didn’t have to go back home.” I sighed.

“The good news is that I'm here for the next few months.” _Yay!_

“What? Really?” I was excited. “That’s awesome. So you’re going to come back to school with me?”

“Actually, I enrolled at a school here.” He replied. “I didn’t want to risk your dad finding out about me.” Good Call. “At least not yet.”

“What about Dean and your dad?”

“They’re going to be stuck on the other side of the country during that time. They’ll check in with me via cell but they think I'm staying with our mutual friend.”

“So I’ll get to see you all the time then?” I asked with a smile.

“For sure.”

“It sucks that you can’t come back to school though.”

“I'm only an hour’s drive away.” He said. “I’ll be able to see you every day.”

“I like the sound of that.”


	8. Truth Bomb

After an hour of quietly enjoying the serenity of the park Sam decided it was best to take me home. I didn’t like the idea of going back early but he thought I shouldn’t tempt fate. I reluctantly agreed. We packed up our stuff, put it in the truck and headed back to Mystic Falls. I called Bonnie to give her a heads up that we were on our way and she invited him over for dinner. Her parents were still out of town but Elena was there, and they both planned on inviting others over after we got there. I didn’t think Sam would agree but he did. I couldn’t help but feel an odd déjà vu on the way home and I almost expected those weird guys to show up in the middle of the road again. They didn’t of course and I was quietly relieved that our weekend was going to end on a positive note for a change.

When he parked the truck he insisted on carrying my stuff into Bonnie’s house. Bonnie and Elena were grinning from ear to ear. They were very happy to see him.

“Good to see you again, Sam.” Elena gave him a quick hug.

“Likewise.” Sam smiled.

“It’s been too long.” Bonnie added as she gave him a hug.

“Agreed and hopefully it won’t be that long ever again.”

“Glad to hear it.” Bonnie smiled. “Make yourself at home.” She picked up my overnight bag. “We’re just going to bring this stuff upstairs. Feel free to get a drink from the fridge.”

“We won’t be too long.” Elena closed the door behind him.

“Okay.” He smiled and walked into the kitchen while we walked upstairs and then into her bedroom.

Bonnie put my stuff on the floor by her desk and looked at me with a great big grin.

“Tell me you didn’t get a visual of what happened?” I said immediately, with an embarrassed expression.

“No, I knew what was going to happen but don’t worry I didn’t get a live show.”

“Oh thank God.” I replied. “I don’t think I could live that down.”

“So...?” Elena asked, excitedly.

“I'm not going to give you specific details.”

“You are practically glowing with happiness, Nina.” Bonnie added.

“It was amazing.” I gushed. “After all the horror stories we heard, I wasn’t sure what to expect but he’s great.”

“Did it hurt?” Elena asked.

“Uh... yeah... at first... and I did bleed a bit after the first time.” I nodded.

“The first time? How many times did you do it?” Bonnie arched her eyebrows.

“Um... I...” I couldn’t remember. “I lost track.”

“Holy crap, that good?” Elena’s eyes bulged a bit.

“Oh yeah. It really was.” I replied. “I think it makes a difference if the guy loves you.”

“That makes sense.” Bonnie smiled. “He loves you a lot—you can see it all over his face.”

“I could tell by how he treated me.”

“So... how was he... _you know_...” Elena asked.

“He’s beautiful.” I replied. “I mean...I didn’t know what to expect. He was gentle, loving but he knew what he was doing—that’s for damn sure.”

“How many people has he been with before you?” Bonnie frowned.

“Oh, no... that’s not what I meant.” I replied. “It was his first time too but he just knew about stuff. I guess he had a lot of intel from his brother and dad.”

“Not sure how I feel about that...but at least it worked in your favour.” Elena commented.

“Hell yeah.” I replied. She gave me a hug.

“I'm so glad you’re happy. You totally deserve it.” Bonnie looked toward the hall.

“We should go back downstairs before he thinks we passed out up here or something.” I joked and they nodded.

We walked downstairs and into the living room. He was looking at the pictures around the room, sipping from a bottle of water, until he heard us enter.

“So.” Bonnie stated. “I'm having some other people over for dinner. I hope you don’t mind.”  
“That’s fine.” Sam replied.

“Who’s coming?” I asked and she lowered her eyes.

“Okay don’t be mad.” Elena replied guiltily.

“Why would I be mad?” I asked.

“Tyler insisted on coming over and I got a bad vibe about saying no.” Bonnie answered and I looked at Sam.

“It’s fine.” Sam replied. “I don’t have anything against him personally.”

“So you’re not pissed that he punched you in the face?” Elena asked and Sam’s eyes bulged.

“Uh…” He stammered. “No, not now.” He looked at me. That was his way of saying _Not when I got the girl._

“If he starts anything else though…” I began to say but Bonnie interjected.

“Don’t worry, I gave him shit.” Bonnie replied.

“What?” Sam asked. “Why?”

“Because Tyler needs to respect Nina’s choices and not be a dick about it.” Elena replied.

“Amen to that.” I replied. “But to be fair…I told him that I’d give him an answer.”

“He already knows the answer.” Bonnie said. “ _Obviously_.”

“Yes but I want to talk to him, privately.” I sighed.

“Maybe you should wait until after I leave.” Sam suggested.

“No. I have to settle this.” I replied.

“As long as you’re not groping each other it will be fine.” Bonnie added.

“Uh—we’re not like that.” Sam shook his head.

“She was kidding.” Elena laughed.

“Tell me other people are coming too...” I commented.

“Yup, Jeremy, Elena, Matt, and Vicky.” Elena replied.

“Didn’t Tyler date Vicky?” Sam asked.

“It’s kind of an off and on thing.” Bonnie replied. “But I thought she’d be a good buffer if you were here.”

“Good call.” I replied. “So what’s for dinner?”

“I figured we could order takeout.”

“Any particular kind?” I asked. “Because we had Chinese last night.”

“I was thinking pizza and wings.” Elena replied.

“I'm up for that.” Sam replied.

“Me too.” I agreed.

“I know.” Bonnie smiled but when Sam arched his eyebrows she continued. “I figured you liked the same things.”

“Nice guess.” Sam smiled. Phew! That was close.

The doorbell rang and Bonnie got up to answer it. They arrived at the same time, Jeremy with Matt, Tyler with Vicky. Sam and I were on the love seat when they walked into the room. Tyler’s eyes narrowed at Sam when we stood up but he didn’t say anything.

“I'm Elena’s younger brother, Jeremy.” He extended his had to Sam, who shook it

“Hey Sam.” Matt nodded. “It’s been a while.” Elena stood beside him to hopefully keep him in line.

“Yeah, really.” Tyler commented and Jeremy frowned at him.

“I'm in the area for a while.” Sam replied while ignoring Tyler’s comment. Matt nodded once to be polite.

“I remember you from school.” Vicky said as she shook his hand.

“I remember you.” Sam smiled. “Vicky, right?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“So I’ve already ordered the food but let’s get some drinks.” Bonnie said.

We followed her into the kitchen and grabbed some bottles of pop. Sam and Jeremy were talking about books they had read while I stood back and watched with a smile. Matt and Elena mingled with Bonnie and Vicky.

“So I guess you’ve made your decision.” Tyler whispered as he stood beside me.

“Not here.” I shook my head.

“When?” He asked and I noticed Sam frown. I shook my head slightly.

“I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” I said to everyone and they nodded.

I grabbed Tyler’s arm and led him down the hall and out of the house. I closed the front door and crossed my arms.

“I hardly think this is the place to talk.” I stated firmly.

“You said that I’d be the first to know...it’s obvious he was.” Tyler sighed, annoyed.

“For your information...I was going to tell you tomorrow after school. I didn’t think I’d be seeing you at all this weekend and I was pretty sure that it was a conversation you didn’t want to have over the phone.”

“You’re right...I shouldn’t be mad at you.” He sighed again.

“I’ve been upfront from the start.” I replied.

“I know—I know. It’s just that, well it seemed like we finally had a chance.”

“Tyler I care about you. You’re one of my best friends and I never want to live without you in my life but I had a real heart to heart with Sam. I laid it all out on the table.”

“Does he know how you feel about me?”

“Yes.”

“Really?” He didn’t expect that.

“Yes. I told him the truth and I made it clear that if he really cared about me he had to find some way to make this work and it had to be more than just seeing each other occasionally.”

“And he’s going to do that?”

“Yes.” I nodded. He didn’t expect that either.

“Well...I guess as long as he’s good to you then I can’t be that pissed with him.”

“You don’t have to be pissed with him at all.”

“Sure I do.” He smirked. “He got the girl. It’s a guy thing.”

“Don’t start any more fights with him.” I asked quietly.

“I won’t as long as he doesn’t hurt you again.”

“He didn’t hurt me Friday night.” I replied firmly.

“I still think he took advantage.” He whispered.

“No, he didn’t.” I replied with a frown. “It was a two-way street, believe me.”

“Okay—okay! I get it. I don’t need a play-by-play of it.”

“I'm sorry.” I lowered my eyes.

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything.”

“I'm sorry if I hurt you.”

“We’re still friends and that’s all that matters I guess.”

“Well good.” I replied.

He reached his arms out to give me a hug and I relented. He held on for a moment but I didn’t rush him. I was glad we hashed it out and could resolve the issue.

“I’m sorry, Ty.” I whispered.

“Don’t be. I just want you to be happy.” He pulled away and kissed my cheek. “Let’s go back inside.”

“Okay.”

Everyone stared at us quietly when we walked back into the room. Then Tyler shocked the hell out of me and walked over to Sam, extending his hand.

“As long as you treat her right you never have to worry about me kicking your ass, again.”

“Fair enough.” Sam replied and shook his hand. “But for the record you’re damn lucky I didn’t retaliate.”

“Now, now…” I commented. “Play nice.”

“We’re fine.” Sam replied and released Tyler’s hand.

“Yeah Nina—we’re good.”

“Now that’s settled, let’s ease up a bit.” I replied.

The tension dissipated from the room and I felt relaxed. He walked over to get a soda while Sam handed me one.

“This should be an interesting night.” Sam whispered as he took a sip of his drink.

“It will be better now that’s out of the way.” I said quietly.

“Good.”

The rest of the night went remarkably well. We ate, played games, laughed and had fun. Eventually my dad called and I forgot that I failed to touch base with him the entire weekend. I apologized and told him we were just hanging out but I would be heading home soon. He was appeased with that which surprised me. I expected him to be pissed. After I hung up I turned toward them.

“I should get going.” I replied.

“I’ll get your things.” Bonnie said and left the room.

“This was fun.” I commented.

“It really was.” Elena remarked and Vicky agreed.

“We should do this again.” Matt said.

“I'm down with that.” Jeremy answered.

“Me too.” Tyler added.

“Why don’t we go camping?” Sam suggested out of the blue.

“That’s a great idea.” I replied.

“All of us?” Elena asked.

“Yeah, why not? We shouldn’t have any problems finding a decent campground.” Matt said.

“I think I know a good one but it’s about five hours away from here.” Tyler said.

“Sounds good to me.” Jeremy said.

“When do you want to do this?” Vicky asked.

“My family’s got plans almost every weekend until school is out.” Elena said and Jeremy nodded.

“How about around the end of July?” Tyler asked. “It gives us enough notice to ask them and book the site.”

“Works for me.” I nodded.

“Me too.” Sam replied.

“That should be okay.” Elena replied.

“Yeah...for us too.” Matt answered for him and Vicky.

“Cool.”

“What’s cool?” Bonnie asked as she walked back into the room with my stuff.

“We’re planning a camping trip at the end of July can you come?” Elena asked.

“Crap. I can’t. We’re going to be away.”

“All summer?” I asked.

“Yeah...family trip but you go ahead. I'm sure it will be fun.” She smiled.

“I’ll see what’s available in that area and give you the details.” Tyler said to us.

“Works for me.” I replied and Sam agreed. “Keep me posted.”

We said our goodbyes and Sam grabbed my stuff. Bonnie walked us to the porch. She looked at Sam.

“Don’t feel guilty about not meeting Nina’s dad.” She said. “I don’t think the timing is right for that.” Wow, okay.

“Um, thanks?” Sam replied and she smiled.

“I'm glad you two worked everything out. You’re kind of perfect for each other. You know that right?”

“Um…yeah.” Sam replied.

“We’ll see you soon.” She replied and then turned to me. “See you tomorrow?” I nodded and she gave me a hug.

“Thanks for everything, Bon.”

“I’ve got your back.” She whispered before pulling away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I commented and walked over to the truck while Sam put my stuff in the back of it.

“Are you really okay with camping?” He asked.

“Yeah, I think it’s a great idea.”

“I think it’s good for us to hang out with other people.”

“Me too. You can’t have too many friends.”

He drove me home and parked across the street. I unfastened my seatbelt and moved beside him.

“This has been an awesome weekend.” I said.

“It really has.” He replied and put a hand on the side of my face.

He leaned in and kissed me. When he was done he didn’t move but kept his face inches from mine.

“I don’t want this night to end.” He confessed.

“Me either but if my dad sees you here I'm pretty sure he’ll grab his guns and come out to greet you.”

“You mean real guns?”

“Absolutely. He hunts.”

“Okay then.” He gave me a peck on the lips. “Sweet dreams.”

“Love you.” I said quietly.

“Love you too.” He replied as he gently touched my cheek. “I’ll call you after school tomorrow.”

“Okay.” I replied and got out of the truck with my stuff. I shut the door, smiled and waited for him to pull away.

When he did, I walked across the street to my place, I dug out my keys and unlocked the door. Dad was in the living room engrossed in a TV show, thank God.

“Hey hon.” He smiled. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah I did...sorry about not calling. I hope you weren’t worried.” He walked over to me and gave me a hug.

“No. I trust your friends and Bonnie’s parents.” Phew. “Besides you have a good head on your shoulders.”

“What did you do all weekend?”

“The twins and I went to the fair and then the movies. We kept busy.”

“I’ll say—the fair _and_ the movies?”

“It’s good for me to have time with just them. Let’s them know I'm still here.”

“Of course, you are.”

“So who dropped you off?” Uh-oh.

“A friend of Bonnie’s, a bunch of us just had dinner together and hung out for a bit.”

“Guy-friend?”

“Yeah...is that okay?”

“Sure...does this guy friend of Bonnie’s have a name or are you randomly kissing strangers now?” _CRAP!_

“Um...uh...” My face turned beet red. “His name is Sam.” Damn it! I didn’t mean to give his real name.

“Does he go to school with you?”

“No, he lives in another town and he just happened to be visiting...”

“How long have you known him?”

“Almost a couple of years now. I’ve seen him around a lot.” I could barely breathe and did my best to stay calm.

“You can relax and be honest with me Nina; I'm not going to crucify the guy.”

“I'm not ready for you to meet him yet Dad. I'm sorry if that freaks you out.” I replied and he sighed.

“Bonnie trusts him?”

“Yes and so does Elena.”

“What about Tyler or Matt?”

“Well...Tyler’s not happy that I'm with someone else but he made peace with it and Matt goes by Tyler’s lead.”

“So Tyler has no qualms about this guy dating you?”

“Other than him being jealous? No.” I replied and he thought about it for a moment.

“Okay fine but...promise me that when things get serious with Sam you will bring him home so I can meet him.”

“Fine but it won’t be for a while.”

“You really like this guy.”

“He’s pretty cool.”

“Cooler than that Steve guy…because you were in rough shape because of him.”

“You were right.” I sighed.

“Pardon?” He arched his eyebrows.

“It’s better to be with someone who sticks around. He’s always been there in the background and it just hit me recently that he’s a better choice.”

“Like Tyler.” Wow...he really wanted me with Tyler.

Thank God arranged marriages didn’t exist in North America anymore.

“I care about Tyler but Sam and I connect in a different way I guess.”

“Well if he treats you right then I won’t shoot him.”

“Dad!”

“What?” He feigned innocence.

“That’s exactly why I don’t want you to meet him right away...you’ll scare him off.”

“If I can scare someone off who is supposedly interested in you—then he’s not worth having.”

“Do not try to do a background check on him or anything.”

“How can I? I don’t know his last name, his phone number or where he lives. I could barely see him in the truck.”

“You were spying on me?”

“No... I heard a truck and I looked out the window. It’s not like I got out my binoculars or anything.” He had binoculars? Oh shit.

  
“I hope not!”

“Relax...if your friends like him, especially Tyler, then he must be alright and I’ll probably like him.”

“Well Tyler doesn’t like him because I chose him but he trusts him with me.”

“Good enough for me.”

“Okay...well if you’re done with the twenty questions I'm heading up to my room now.”

“Sweet dreams.” He replied with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and he laughed.

I carried my stuff upstairs and put it in my room. I closed the door behind me, began unpacking and putting things away. That’s when I noticed I had one of his t-shirts. I held it up and smelled it. I sighed happily. It smelled just like him and I had a great big smile on my face. I put everything away, got undressed, put his t-shirt on and a pair of shorts and then brushed my teeth and washed my face. I looked at the calendar. It was only the first week of June which meant I had all summer to spend with Sam. I sighed happily.

That night my dreams were more than sweet. They were downright sensual and they were about Sam.

****

The next month and a half almost felt surreal. Sam kept his word. He played an active role in my life and even hung around the rest of my friends on a regular basis. Much to Tyler’s surprise he began to like Sam but didn’t admit it to anyone. I could tell because I knew him well enough to read his mannerisms. He studied how Sam treated me and interacted with everyone and finally realized that he was a decent guy and I probably couldn’t have a better boyfriend, except maybe himself.

The twins were preoccupied with their own playdates after school. When Sam would join me at the playground they didn’t even recognize him, probably because of his longer hair and the stubble which he stubbornly refused to get rid of. I didn’t mind it so much but it hid his real age and made him look older than he was.

I had my own physical predicaments. I was developing more curves than I thought were necessary and it garnered a lot of attention from the boys at school--something which Tyler didn’t like at all. One day some guy grabbed my butt when I walked by but before I had the chance to do something about it Tyler slammed him against the lockers at school and threatened to break his hand if he ever did it again. He was subsequently pulled into the office but when he was confronted about it by the principal, Tyler told him what happened and he let him off with a warning. Word got out after that and nobody ever bothered me again.

When Sam heard about it he was pissed that he wasn’t there to defend me himself but was thankful that Tyler stepped in.

“Believe me...” I replied assuredly. “If Tyler hadn’t stepped in, I would’ve broken the guy’s hand myself.”

“I bet you would have.” Sam smiled.

“I liked it better when I was skinnier.” I commented. “I didn’t get as much attention.”

“Doubtful.” Sam replied. “Pretty blondes tend to get a lot of attention whether they have curves or not.”

“True.” I mumbled unhappily.

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with having curves.” He replied.

“Until the guys are pigs.” I answered and smirked.

“Well at least I’m not one.” He answered and that made me smile.

“You’re right.”

“I think you look great with or without curves, it makes no difference to me.”

“Be honest Sam... you’re not exactly disappointed that I'm more voluptuous...are you?”

“I can’t lie and say I don’t like it but I don’t see you as others do. I see the whole package including what’s inside—it’s why I love you so much.”

“You realize you’re not like everyone else, right? You tend to see a lot of things differently than others do.”

“You’re the same way.” He replied.

“I guess I am.” I replied and he put an arm around me.

“Don’t worry about the jerks at school—I’ve met my fair share and trust me...they bug you because they’re jealous.”

“Of what?”

“You’re happy and they see something in you they wish they had.”

“What’s that?”

“Life.” He replied.

“What do you mean?”

“You have a fire within you that brings things to life, regardless what it is. It’s rare and it draws people to you. They’re either rubbed the wrong way or inspired.”

“Seriously?”

“I saw it that first day I met you in the office.”

“But I hadn’t said two words to you, not really.”

“People like us tend to see below the surface even when nobody speaks, we know what’s really going on.”

If only he really knew what went on below my surface. I still hadn’t told him about my weird abilities. I wanted to but I was afraid it would push him away. I kept it between myself and Bonnie. We were each other’s support when it came to our weird gifts. At least we had 1 person we could talk to about it and that was fine by me.

****

When prom night came around everyone insisted on renting a limo and picking me up in it. Sam insisted on meeting my dad and since I couldn’t find a good enough excuse to refuse I finally relented. I watched from my bedroom window as he got out of the limo and walked to the door dressed in a nice suit, holding a beautiful corsage. I ran down the stairs holding my purse and shoes to answer the door before dad got there.

“Where’s the fire?” He called from the kitchen, while the twins came out to see me.

“You look very pretty.” Arielle commented.

“Wow, you look nice ‘sis.” Andrew remarked.

Dad looked at me with a slightly sad expression.

“What’s wrong Dad?”

“Nothing.” He forced a smile. “You’re just growing up so quickly.”

The doorbell interrupted my thoughts. I looked at Dad and put my hands on my hips.

“Now be nice.” I stated firmly. He raised his hands in surrender.

“I promise...now open the door so I can finally meet this mystery man.”

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Hey.” He smiled and looked down at me. “You look beautiful.” He handed me the corsage.

“Thanks.” I smiled and I ushered him inside to meet Dad.

The second they saw each other their mouths dropped and their eyes bulged.

“What’s wrong?” I asked and looked at the them curiously.

“Nothing.” Dad replied. “He just reminds me of someone I know.” Sam was frozen in place and quiet but Dad extended his hand to him.

“Nice to finally meet you, _Sam_.” He stated in a weird manner.

“Nice to meet you, Sir.” Sam replied and shook his hand.

The twins looked up at him and that’s when they finally clued in to who he really was.

“I thought your name was Steve?” Andrew blurted accidentally and Arielle elbowed him.

“No... no.” I quickly interjected. “You’re thinking of someone else.”

Dad frowned and I realized the cat was out of the bag but shockingly he didn’t say anything about it.

“Andrew, don’t be silly...he’s taller than Steve and has longer hair, besides Steve always shaved.” Arielle piped up.

“Who’s Steve?” Sam asked, trying to feign ignorance.

“Nina’s mysterious English boyfriend.” Dad replied coldly. “He wasn’t around much.” Uh-oh.

Arielle looked at Dad and then me. She knew he was onto the truth and he was pissed. Thankfully, the limo honked for us.

“Well...we should get going.” I replied.

“Be back for 11.” Dad stated firmly.

“You’re kidding right?” I asked. “You said I could be out until 12.”

“Changed my mind.”

“Well I already told my friends 12 so I'm not backing out on my word.”

“You will do as you’re told.” Dad replied firmly.

“Uh-oh.” Andrew mumbled.

“Shhh.” Arielle elbowed him and dragged him out of the hall into the living room.

“Nina. ..it’s okay. We can be back for 11.” Sam stated to keep the peace.

“No.” I replied angrily. “It wasn’t an issue before; it shouldn’t be an issue now.”

“It’s an issue when I can’t trust you.” He replied and stared at Sam.

“You can trust me.” I replied. “And you’re not ruining this night for me.”

I opened the door and dragged Sam out of the house before Dad could say another word.

“You should listen to him.” Sam whispered.

“You better be back by 11 or else!” Dad called from the porch. I ignored him.

When we got into the limo everyone stared at me with curious expressions.

“What’s wrong with your Dad?” Matt asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I replied.

“I thought you said you could be out until 12?” Elena asked.  
“I am.” I replied resolutely.

“But your dad said 11.” Tyler answered.

“I don’t care.” I crossed my arms.

“Well this night is getting off to a great start.” Bonnie replied. “Look...don’t ruffle any feathers. Just listen to him.”

“No.” I replied.

“Nina…” Sam tried to talk.

“We’re changing the subject right now. I'm not letting my dad ruin prom night. Let’s go and have a good time.”

“Okay then.” Sam replied.

Nobody said a word after that. They stared at us in silence while I tried to cool off. What the hell was that? The weird expressions between Sam and my Dad? It didn’t help that Andrew ratted me out at the absolute worst time. To be fair, dad had a right to be pissed but I didn’t want to cut my evening short. He could ground me afterward but I was going to stay out as long as I wanted and I was going to have a damn good time doing it.

By all accounts we forgot about the incident after the first 10 minutes when we arrived at prom. We ate, drank, danced and had fun. I couldn’t help but remember what happened the last time I was at a dance with Sam and I hoped to God I wouldn’t be attacked by some crazy guy again.

“What are you thinking about?” Sam asked while he held me close during a slow dance.

“Believe me, you don’t want to know.” I replied quietly.

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know.”

“I was hoping I won’t get attacked by a psycho tonight.” I replied and his lips went into a straight line.

“Not if I have anything to do with it.” He replied. “I'm not letting you out of my sight but I really don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“Nope, just how pissed my dad is.”

“Right. God, I feel so awful. We should’ve come clean about this a long time ago.”

“I'm the one who insisted that we keep it a secret, remember? This isn’t your fault.”

“You realize he’s going to watch you like a hawk now, I doubt we’ll get much time alone.”

“I’ll make the time.” I replied.

“Your dad only wants what’s best for you.” He replied.

“Like yours?” I asked. The comment resonated with him.

“You know what I think?” He asked.

“What?”

“Your dad is afraid you’re going to end up like your mom and he’s doing everything he can to prevent that from happening.”

“Is that what your dad is doing?” I asked and he hesitated.

“In his own distorted way, yeah but dads treat their sons very differently than their daughters.”

“Damn double standard.”

“It’s just the way it is.” He replied and I sighed. “Look, let’s just enjoy the rest of the time we have left tonight.”

“I'm not going home at 11.”

“Yes you are.”

“No.”

“If you don’t then he’ll use it as an excuse to not let you see me.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with you, it’s about me lying to him.”

“Exactly. If you don’t go home for 11 then he can’t trust you to keep your word and he sure as hell won’t trust me with you.”

“This sucks.” I commented.

“Don’t let it.” He replied. “Let’s just enjoy the next few hours.”

He did his best to take my mind off what was waiting for me when I got home but it didn’t work. I just had a feeling the volcano was going to erupt and Sam was going to get the brunt of it but I wasn’t sure why. He really didn’t do anything wrong, not in my eyes anyway but I suppose my dad would think he was the instigator to keep everything a secret from him. That wasn’t the case of course but I didn’t think I would be able to convince my dad otherwise.

When the time finally came for me to go home Sam called a cab and decided to accompany me to my place. We said our goodbyes to our friends and got in, unsure what awaited us. On our way home, I spontaneously grabbed his face and kissed him. We could’ve been carried away but since we were in a cab he gently pulled away and held my hand.

“Let’s not start something we can’t finish.” He whispered.

“We would’ve had time if I went home at 12.” I answered quietly. He didn’t reply.

When the cab pulled up to the house dad was watching from the living room window and then came outside.

“Great.” I muttered. “Here we go.”

“Keep the meter running.” Sam replied to the driver and he nodded once.

Sam helped me out and walked me to the porch.

“Go inside.” Dad said to me angrily.

“No.” I replied and crossed my arms. “Before you make any stupid assumptions about Sam I want to make one thing very clear.”

“What is that?” Dad asked, frowning.

“It was my idea to lie about his name and keep him a secret.”

“Really?” He stared at Sam who didn’t say anything.

“Yes because I was scared you’d push him away.”

“If he was a decent guy, like you claim, explain why the hell would I do that?”

“Because you were paranoid about my safety, especially after what happened at the dance last year.”

“I don’t have a problem with Tyler.”

“Of course not.” I rolled my eyes. “But you haven’t had a chance to get to know Sam.”

“And whose fault is that?” He replied angrily.

“Mine—not his but it doesn’t negate the fact that all my friends like him, including Tyler.” Dad considered it.

“I want to talk to Sam alone.” He replied.

“I'm not going to stop dating him.”

“We’ll talk about that afterward.”

“No actually it’s settled and there’s nothing to talk about.”

“Nina...” Sam interjected. “Your dad only wants to talk.” I grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently.

“I’ll be watching from the window.” I stated to my dad.

“Just what do you think I'm going to do?” Dad asked in shock.

“I don’t know but I’ll be watching regardless.”

“Then don’t eavesdrop.” He replied firmly.

I released my hand and hesitantly walked to the door and just before I opened it I looked back at Sam. He nodded once before I walked inside and shut the door behind me. I ran to the living room and looked out the windows. I couldn’t see Dad’s face and I couldn’t read lips so it wasn’t likely that I would know what Dad would say.

“What the hell are you doing?” Dad said to Sam angrily.

“I had no idea she was your daughter.”

“How long has this been going on and don’t even think about lying to me.”

“Almost 2 years.”

“So you’re the infamous _Steve_ she’s been heartbroken over.” I noticed Sam wince and lower his eyes.

“I tried to stay away to protect her.”

“You know better than to get involved with someone in our line of work—it’s too dangerous.”

“She’s better off dating me than an ignorant civilian.”

“The hell she is! I don’t want her to have any part of this life.”

“You really think I'm going to just expose her to all the crap we see?”

“You already have or do you forget the Vetalas from the last dance? Or the rogue vampire that attacked her afterward?”

“I killed the vampire.”  
“What?”

“I am the one who killed the vampire here at your house. I was watching to make sure she was safe and I saw it attack her and Tyler.”

“She doesn’t know what they were...does she?”

“The vampire hypnotized her and made her forget everything.”

“That explains a lot but it doesn’t change the fact I don’t want you with her.”  
“I get that you don’t like the idea of a hunter dating your daughter but I'm the last person who’d ever hurt her.”

“Actually you pose more of a threat to her than you realize.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“How can you say that? I love her and I’d die to save her.”

“I'm shocked that you managed to keep this from your dad and Dean all this time.”

“Are you going to tell them?”

“Why didn’t _you_ tell them?”

“I didn’t want them to ruin it.”

“You can’t stay with her.”

“That’s up to her.” Sam replied firmly. “I respect where you’re coming from but she’s the first person I’ve ever met that I can be myself with. I'm not going to give her up.”

“You being in her life exposes her to danger because you’re a hunter.”

“I'm not a hunter with her I'm just myself.”

“How the hell do you plan to stay in her life if you’re travelling from one place to the next?”

“I'm not going to stay in this life.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I want out.”

“So what’s your plan? You going to run off with my baby girl?”

“With all due respect, she’s not a baby girl anymore. She’s stronger than almost anyone I’ve met—except dad, you and Dean.”

“She’ll always be my little girl regardless how old she is and I'm not going to let her get caught up with a hunter. She deserves better than that.”

“I want to give her better than that.”

“How?”  
“Eventually I’d like to go to Stanford with her.”

“You’re just going to abandon your family and the job like that?”

“I'm not going to abandon anyone.”

“We have a responsibility to people out there.”

“I'm not responsible for anyone else’s life except mine and Nina’s. I was forced into this and I'm sick of it. I want a normal life.”

“She is not your responsibility. She’s my daughter and I’m responsible for her.” He frowned. “Besides, you should know already that normal isn’t in the cards for us and you know it.”

“It can be.”

“You’re kidding yourself if you think it will be and you know it. She wasn’t destined to live a normal life but I’ll be damned if I don’t let her live one.”

“It all makes sense now.” Sam replied. “Her unusual combat, martial arts and survival skills. You’re training her to be a hunter.”

“No actually, I'm training her for something else.” Dad replied. Sam’s eyes narrowed.

“What?”

“Doesn’t concern you.”

“It sure as hell does, she’s a part of my life.”

“Let me make something clear right now. If something happens to her on your watch I’ll hold you accountable.”

“It won’t.”

“Famous last words.”

“Why are you so dead set against me? I’ve never done anything to you or your family. Okay yes...we kept our relationship on the sly and it was wrong, I don’t deny that...but otherwise...I have nothing but the best intentions for her.”

“There are darker things in the world than you’re aware of Sam and I can’t let you drag her into them.”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

“You have no idea what you would or wouldn’t do when you’re confronted with pure evil.”

“What are you talking about?” Sam asked, confused. Dad didn’t reply. “This doesn’t just have to do with me, does it? Does this have anything to do with her mom?”

Without warning Dad shoved Sam and that’s when I ran out of the house and got between them.

“Dad! Stop!” I said blocking him from Sam.

“Get the hell off my property.” Dad replied angrily.

“What happened?”

“You’re not seeing him again.” Dad answered. “He’s bad for you.”

“No he’s not.” I replied. “Where did you get that idea?”

“I just know.”  
“I'm not going to stop seeing him. I love him and he’s a part of my life.”

“No!” Dad raised his voice. “Not anymore.”

I wasn’t sure why Dad was so angry but I wasn’t going to give up on Sam. I just couldn’t let him go.

“Dad don’t do this. Don’t back me into a corner—you won’t like what happens next.”

“Get your butt in the house now!” He yelled. “If you know what’s good for you.”

“I know what’s good for me and it’s Sam.”

“As long as you’re under my roof you will abide by my rules.”

“Fine.” I nodded once. “Then I guess I'm moving out.”

“What?” He asked.

“What?” Sam’s eyes widened. “No... wait... maybe that’s not the best idea.” I turned to face him.

“Did you mean what you said about our future?” I looked into his puppy dog eyes. “Were you serious?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s all I need to know.” I faced my dad. “If you won’t let me date Sam then I’ll move out.”

“You’re too young, moreover where would you go? How would you support yourself?”

“I’m 16 and we both know I'm resilient. I'm not worried about it. I'm sure I can find a place to stay temporarily until I get on my feet.”

I knew for a fact that Bonnie would take me in, no questions asked. He glowered at Sam.

“This is your fault.” He grumbled. “Ever since she met you she’s changed.”

“For the better.” I replied. “And this isn’t his fault. This is about me knowing what I want and going after it.”

“You will live to regret this decision, trust me.”

“Thanks for the encouragement Dad.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ve already been hurt. We lost Mom; I’ve been attacked twice... I think that ship has already sailed. Sam makes me happy, when I'm with him I feel safe and at peace.”

Dad stared at Sam, crossed his arms and sighed. He didn’t want to agree but he also didn’t want me moving out. He didn’t count on the fact that I would be willing to give everything up to be with Sam.

“Dad...I don’t want to leave. I want to stay but if you try to keep me from Sam then you leave me no choice.”

“You’d choose him over your own family.”

“Dad I know this seems hard to believe right now but Sam is family to me. I'm myself when I'm with him. I’ve never felt that way before. We’re a lot alike.”

“If I decide to let this happen, and that’s a big _if_ , you’re not just going to up and take off with him?”

“No. I wouldn’t do that to you or the twins.”

“You just told me you were going to do that if I don’t let you date him.”

“I wouldn’t cut you out of my life, ever. If I have to move out it doesn’t mean you’d never see me again.”

He stewed about it for a moment.

“And school?”

“What about school?”

“This...” He pointed to us. “Won’t distract you from your schoolwork?”

“No...jeez Dad, Sam and I are both book worms. The world could fall apart and we’d still get A’s on our report card.” That made Sam smile.

He paced back and forth, quietly, for about 10 minutes before he finally stopped and looked at us.

“Fine. Obviously I can’t keep you from being together but let’s be clear—you will not do anything inappropriate under _my_ roof.”

“Understood.” Sam replied immediately.

“Agreed.” I said.

“If you jeopardize her safety in any way I’ll introduce you to my shotgun.” Dad replied.

“Dad! That’s unnecessary.”

“It’s fine, Nina. He’s only trying to protect you.” Sam walked closer to my dad. “You have my word that when she’s with me, nobody will ever hurt her. I’d die protecting her.”

“For the love of God! We’re not in some dystopian movie. My life isn’t in danger and there’s no need to make a ridiculous pact like I'm marching off into an apocalyptic army with you.” I interjected.

Dad and Sam looked at each other quietly. They knew just how dangerous the world was even if I didn’t.

“You have my word.” Sam said firmly and Dad nodded once.

“You can go back into the house now, Nina. I'm not going to do anything to Sam.” I looked at Sam and he nodded.

“Fine.” I turned and gave Sam a quick hug. “Call me tomorrow.”

“I will.” He said and I walked back inside.

I ran back to the living room and watched them through the window.

“She’s probably still watching.” Dad stated and Sam casually looked in my direction.

“Yes.” He replied.

“Do not expose her to what’s out there.” Dad said firmly. “I mean it.”

“I haven’t and I won’t but she’s not ignorant. She knows a little about what’s really out there.”

“The less she knows, the better.”

“Then why are you training her?”

“To prepare her for what’s coming.” Dad replied and Sam frowned.

“What’s coming?”

“I’ll let your Dad tell you that.”

“Are you going to tell him about her?”

“Yes but I’ll leave Dean out of it.” Sam didn’t look happy. “Did you really think I’d keep this from him?”

“Not for my sake but hers.” Sam commented.

“You have no idea how much he cares about her. He loves her like she’s his own.” Sam arched an eyebrow.

“Why haven’t we met her before?”

“I was trying to keep her from the lifestyle and definitely your brother.”

“Fair enough. I can’t argue with that.” Sam sighed. “But Dean would never hurt her. He’d treat her like a sister.”

“That’s true.” Dad thought about it and acknowledged it. “Don’t hurt her.”

“I won’t.”

“And you better damn well respect her boundaries and keep your hands to yourself. If I even get a sniff that you pressured her into anything I’ll shoot you and I'm not kidding.”

“I’d never do that to her. I'm not like that, surely after all this time you’d know that about me.”

“You’re still a guy.” Dad commented.

“A guy who’s in love with your daughter and would do anything to keep her safe.”

“I'm sure that’s what you said when you stayed away to protect her but you didn’t see what I saw when she missed you. Hurt her like that again and I will kick your sorry ass.”

“I never meant to.”

“We never do but it’s what happens when hunters try to have a partner that’s not in the life.”

Sam appeared to be in deep contemplation.

“You should go.” Dad said.

“Okay.” Sam looked at me and waved.

I waved back and watched him get into the cab and drive away. I sat on the couch and waited for the boom to drop. Dad walked into the house, locked the door and he walked into the living room. I didn’t look at him. I stared at the blank screen on the TV.

“You are so much like your mother.” He said out of the blue and I looked up at him.

“What?”

“Same stubbornness, same fiery spirit.”

“Why are you so against me being with Sam? He’s such a good guy—if you gave him a chance you’d know this.”

“I'm worried about a guy who travels all the time and doesn’t stay in one place for long.”

“How do you know this?”

“What? You think I don’t hear things around town?” I sighed. “I saw how upset you were when he left and didn’t contact you for months.”

“It wasn’t his fault; he was travelling with his dad and brother.”

“What do they do?”

“They’re in pest control.”

“ _Pest control_?”

“They’re in high demand all over the country because they handle the jobs nobody else will touch.”

“I bet.” He mumbled. “But that’s no life for you.”

“He’s not going to do that for the rest of his life. He’s a genius and he wants to go to Stanford.”

“And your plan is to go _together_?”

“Eventually yeah.”

“And this is something he also wants?” He asked doubtfully.

“Yes.” He sighed.

After a few minutes, he sat on the coffee table in front of me.

“Did I ever tell you how much your Grandad didn’t like me?” That was out of the blue.

“Which one?”

“Your mom’s dad.”

“Why?”

“He thought she deserved to be with someone better than a mechanic.”

“But it’s an honest living.”

“I know.”

“So basically you’re acting the same way he did?” I replied and it hit him.

“Didn’t think about that until tonight when you fought for Sam and threatened to move out. It’s the same thing your mom did.”

“What?”

“Her dad forbade her from being with me so she moved out and ran off with me.” Whoa! “He never forgave her for that and I remember how hurt she was that he couldn’t support her decision.” He paused.

“But I remember seeing him when I was a kid.”

“He only came to see you.”

“Wow.”

“I don’t want to make the same mistake he did.”

“Sam loves me Dad. I know we’re young and it seems like this is a bad decision but it’s not like we’re going to elope tomorrow or anything. Sam’s got a good head on his shoulders. We’re going to graduate and then go to Stanford.”

“Fine. I trust your judgement...but if I can say one more thing about this...”

“Yes?”

“If for some reason this goes sour and doesn’t turn out as planned. I’ll always be here for you. Don’t be afraid to come and tell me.”

“I love you Dad.”

“I love you too kid.”

I gave him a big hug and I could feel him relax. I walked up the stairs and as soon as he knew I was in my room he picked up the phone and dialled. It rang a few times.

“How did prom go? Did you finally meet her boyfriend?” John answered.

“We have a problem.” Dad said urgently.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Sam.”

“What about Sam?”

“He’s the secret boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?” John paused. “That can’t be right...he’s supposed to be at Bobby’s.”

“Well he isn’t. He picked her up for prom tonight.”

“Son of a bitch.” John exclaimed. “Did you get a chance to talk to him?”

“Oh yeah but Nina is so damn stubborn, like her mom, that if I tell her to stop seeing him, she’ll move out.”

“She’s not just like her mom, there’s some of you in her too.”

“I don’t need this right now. I need a solution. I don’t want her in this life.”

“What did Sam say?”

“According to him and Nina—they’re going to graduate and then to go Stanford, together.”

“The hell he is.” John snapped.

“You’re damn straight. No offense John but we both know it’s a bad idea for them to be together.”

“I'm with you on this; it will only make them a worse target than they already are.” He paused. “How long has this been going on?”

“Almost 2 years.”

“That long? I'm surprised she kept this from you.” John replied. “And how the hell did he keep this from _me_?”

“Well he’s learned how to be sly from the best of them.” Dad answered. “Anyway, he’s the Steve Nina talked about.”

“So she lied to you about his name...”

“She’s never lied to me before. This is a brand-new thing.”

“She’s a teenager with fully loaded hormones, it’s a universal thing.” John was quiet for a moment. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Look...” Dad hesitated. “Don’t be hard on Sam.”

“What?”

“He loves her. It’s real; this isn’t some crush or puppy love. I saw the look on his face.”

“He’s a hunter and that’s the way he’s going to stay. He knows better than to form attachments.”

“If you lose it on him you might drive him away and if you do that she might go with him. Be careful.”

“What should we do?”

“Pray that something comes up to drive a wedge between them.” Dad answered.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tyler?”

“No, it’s too late for that now, not the way she’s talking.” Dad paused. “She did mention that she gave Sam another chance to make it work but they had to see each other more often and stay in touch. His absence hurt her but he said he stayed away because he was trying to protect her.”

“She doesn’t know the truth though?” John asked.

“No. She doesn’t. He told me the last thing he wants to do is drag her into that life.”

“What life? The hunting life?”  
“Yes.” Dad answered. “Oh and he’s the one who took the head off the vamp that attacked her and Tyler.”

“He was there?!” John was pissed.

“Yup, apparently...” Dad paused. “But he ignored her for a while right after that...”

“So...?” John mumbled. “Where are you going with this?”

“If Sam thinks him being in her life is a real danger to her then he might cut her loose.”

“You think so?”  
“It’s why there were big gaps in their communication but he promised her he wouldn’t do that again.”

“What are you saying?” John asked.  
“If they’re exposed to more monsters it might give him no choice but to leave her for good, to protect her.”

“You’re saying you want to set them up to be attacked?”

“Hell no.” Dad replied. “You think I’d jeopardize our kids’ safety?”

“Then what the hell are you getting at?”

“They seem to attract danger and the more Sam sees this—I think he’ll realize he’s no good for her but at least we don’t have to worry about them, they know how to protect themselves.”

“True.” John paused. “But you do realize that she’ll be a mess if he leaves again?”

“It’s a necessary evil.”

“That’s cold.” John replied. “I mean this is your kid you’re talking about.”

“Well what do you suggest? We know they’re both on hell’s radar—but together they’re the tag team of the century.”

“I know.” John sighed. “I hate to do this to her though.”

“You do? I have to live with the fallout.”

“And you’re going to make sure Tyler is there to pick up the pieces, aren’t you?” John asked.

“I don’t have to make sure he does anything—I'm willing to bet he’ll be watching over her either way.” Dad said. “I am sorry about Sam though because I'm sure this will gut him.”

“I love my kid but I love your kid like she’s my own. We can’t let them get on the highway to hell, not knowing what they’re capable of.” John paused. “So what do we do while we wait?”

“Nothing. Just wait for the fallout.”

“Keep me posted.”

“I will.”

“I’ll talk to Sam regardless; he needs to know I'm pissed about this.”

“Don’t tell Dean.” Dad commented.

“What?”

“Leave him out of it.”

“Why?”

“Not sure...just a feeling I got.” Dad replied.

“You and your _feelings_. Are you sure you don’t have the same juice Nina has?”

“Nope, I'm clear... but my gut is never wrong.”

“Don’t I know it?”

Given the fact that dad was practically forced to get onboard with Sam, I didn’t want to rush into telling him about the camping trip that we all agreed to go on. I knew that wouldn’t go over well so I wanted to put it off as long as possible. Since school was out I figured I could let Dad get used to being around Sam so he didn’t feel so apprehensive about us dating.

A few days later I had the gang over to our place so he could see them interact with him to prove they liked him. We had a movie night and Dad ordered takeout and supplied the snacks. It was the first time I had a group over at the house. I wasn’t sure why it took it took so long for me to warm up to the idea but at least my dad was cool with it. The twins had a sleepover at their friends place so they wouldn’t intrude on our night.

Halfway through the movie Sam’s cell started ringing. He looked at the caller ID and frowned.

“I’ll be right back.” He mumbled as he excused himself and walked outside to the front porch.

Everyone except Bonnie and I continued watching the movie. She and I were focused on him pacing back and forth on the porch. Sam made sure his back was to us, took a deep breath, and then answered.

“Hey Dad.”

“Did you honestly think I wouldn’t find out?” John stated angrily.

“Dad, calm down.”

“You’re supposed to be at Bobby’s while Dean and I track this nest.”

“I was at Bobby’s... _initially_.”

“And your secret girlfriend just happens to be my best friend’s daughter?”

“Ugh.” Sam moaned. “He told you.”

“He knows better than to lie to me about this...but for some unknown reason he’s reconciled himself to the idea it might be okay that you and her to be together.”

“What?”

“It’s ridiculous!” John replied. “She has no business being dragged into the nightmares we face.”

“I'm not going to do that at all.” Sam replied.

“Oh I know...I heard all about your Stanford dreams and your plans to run off with her...have you lost your head?”

“What? I love her okay! What is wrong with finding a life outside of hunting?”

“Hunters don’t escape the life. We know enough people who tried to get out of the life and it came back to bite them in the ass.”

As we continued to watch Sam pace back and forth on the porch Bonnie frowned and looked at me.

“Who do you think he’s talking to?” She whispered.

“I don’t know but it’s intense.” I replied quietly.

“He’s not very happy—that’s for sure.” She studied him for another minute. “It looks like he’s arguing.”

I didn’t reply. I had a bad feeling but I didn’t know what about. I just kept watching him and Bonnie gently touched my shoulder.

“Focus on the movie. Get your mind off that.” She whispered.

I did as she suggested and faced the TV but I knew something was wrong, very wrong. I could feel it.

“I don’t want to end up like you and Bobby. I want my own life.” Sam continued.

“It’s not going to happen. You’re a hunter, _period_.”

“I'm not going to be a hunter for the rest of my life. I want something more than that.”

“And she’s the answer to this?”

“Yes! I get you’re pissed that I broke your rules and got attached to someone but I love her and she’s the only person I feel like I can be myself around.”

“This storybook notion you have about love is going to blow up in your face and I don’t want her to get caught in the fallout. She’s a good kid and she deserves more than that.”

“You don’t think I know that? Why do you think I want a normal life with her? I'm keeping her out of this, on purpose. I don’t want this life for her or me.”

“You’re already in the life and when I met your mother so was she.”

“What?” Sam asked.

“Nothing.” John replied and changed the subject. “You can’t run away from the life; it catches up to you eventually.”

“I'm done talking about this.” Sam replied angrily.

“Well I'm not and the first chance I get I'm going there to see you.”

“You’re not going to change my mind on this.” Sam replied.

“If you really want what’s best for her—you will see it differently.”

“I do want what’s best for her.”

“Then face the fact that you’re not it.” John replied.

Sam hung up on John and stared into the darkness with a scowl on his face. He waited a few minutes to cool off before he came back inside.

“Dude! You totally missed the best part of the movie.” Matt said as he sat back down beside me.

“It’s okay, I’ve seen it.” Sam replied, forcing a smile. I looked up at him.

“You alright?” I whispered.

“Sure, yeah...” He put an arm around me.

“You looked like you were having an intense conversation.”

“I’ll tell you about it later.” He replied and stared at the TV.

“Okay.” I replied.

Sam’s jaw clenched as he thought of the conversation. Bonnie noticed and my dad who was watching from the hall, also noticed. I, however, didn’t. Thankfully Tyler interrupted.

“Okay so the campsite that I planned to go to is completely booked but I found another one and I’ve been there before—it’s cool.” Tyler stated. “We’re good to go.”

That’s when Dad walked into the room. His eyebrows arched. Oh crap.

“Who’s going camping?” Dad asked.

“We are.” Matt replied motioning to all of us, failing to notice Bonnie shaking her head.

“Excuse me?” Dad replied and looked straight at me.

“Oh... uh... sorry... I thought Nina already talked to you about it.” Tyler added quickly.

“No, she didn’t.” He replied and walked out of the room.

“Crap.” I mumbled and looked at Sam. “I’ll be right back.” He nodded once but didn’t say anything. “Thanks.” I smacked Tyler on the arm as I walked by.

“Sorry.” He mumbled.

I walked into the kitchen and Dad was standing against the counter with his arms crossed. I took a deep breath.

“Did you forget to ask me something?” He frowned.

“I was going to ask you but I wanted you to get used to Sam first. I wanted to make sure you knew you could trust him with me.” He sighed unhappily. “We’ll be perfectly safe; we’re all going to be together at the same site.”

“And their parents have agreed?”

“Yes.”

“No drinking, drugs or sex.” He replied firmly.

“Yeah...like I want to have sex near a bunch of other people—hello!” I blushed.

“So you _are_ having sex with him.” _Damn it all to hell!_ My face got even redder.

“Uh...I...” I stammered and his frown was even more pronounced.

“Whose idea was that?”

“It was mutual.”

“You’re telling me the truth?”

“Yes but I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” I whispered. “Especially with them in the other room.” He sighed.

“You have no idea just how much I want to kick his ass right now.” Dad scowled.

“Dad…” I implored. “Don’t be mad at Sam. It’s not like he pressured me or anything…”

“Ugh!! Stop talking right now.” Dad winced. “I just can’t think about that.”

“Okay.” I mumbled quietly.

He took a deep breath and then sighed. He knew he couldn’t keep me a little girl forever and as much as the idea pissed him right off… he knew Sam loved me and would take care of me. He also knew that Sam wasn’t anything like Dean, he just hated the fact I wasn’t so innocent anymore and that I was a young woman.

“Fine.” He blurted finally. “I want a map of where you’ll be, an itinerary, and an exact time you expect to be back.”

“You’re going to let me go?” I got excited.

“Don’t give me a reason to regret trusting you or him.”

“I won’t. I promise.” I hugged him and he returned it.

“I hate that you’re growing up. I wish you could just stay a little girl.”

“You still have Arielle and Andrew.” I pulled away.

“True but you’re my first born. There’s something very different about the first born in a family.”

“If you tell me I'm your favourite I’ll hit you.” I replied.

“No, you’re just special, unique...like your mother.”

It looked like he momentarily went back in time and he smiled for a moment until he remembered what happened to her and then his smile faded. He abruptly left the kitchen and walked into the living room.

“Here’s the deal.” He said. “She can go under the following conditions: no drinking and no drugs.”

I turned beet red and lowered my eyes.

  
“Done deal.” Sam replied instantly and my dad arched his eyebrows as he looked at him.

That’s when Sam realized Dad knew we were having sex and he swallowed hard.

“We weren’t planning on that anyway.” Elena piped up.

“Yeah.” Bonnie agreed. “We just wanted to get out and enjoy nature.”

“Sure...yeah.” Tyler replied unconvincingly and Dad looked right at him.

“You can enjoy it, _legally_.” Dad said and Tyler nodded quickly.

“Yes we can, sir.” Matt replied.

“Good.” Dad answered and left. I wanted to hide in my room.

“Hey, don’t be embarrassed.” Bonnie said.

“Yeah.” Elena added. “It’s cool that your dad cares about you enough to set boundaries. He is letting you go after all.”

“True.” Tyler added finally. “My parents don’t care.”

“And mine are never around.” Matt replied.

“I know the feeling.” Sam replied as he looked at Matt and then back at me. “It’s good to know your parents care.”

I was a bit relieved. I sat back down and Sam put his arm around me. Dad went upstairs and called John.

“You said to keep you posted.” Dad said.

“Shoot.”

“I just found out they’re having sex.” Dad said with an edge to his voice and John sighed.

“I'm sorry man; you know I wasn’t onboard for this.”

“I know—it’s just that they’re so involved now. I'm not sure anything will tear them apart now, I saw the look on her face.”

“It will work, trust me. I know Sammy. When he loves someone he’s paranoid about their safety. If he’s pushed to the edge he will let her go if it’s what’s best for her.”

“Ugh…I hate that she’s growing up so fast.”

“I know it’s cold comfort but Sammy will be good to her while he’s in the picture.”

“I know.” Dad replied. “I should go.”

“Let me know if anything comes up.”

“I will.” Dad ended the call and sighed unhappily.

After our movie night ended and everyone left, Sam and I lingered sat on the steps of the porch. He quietly held my hand and stared straight ahead.

“Something’s wrong.” I whispered. “I can feel it.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He replied. “It’s not you.”

“But it’s affecting me because it upsets you.” He didn’t reply. “That was your dad on the phone, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He replied with a taut jaw. “He found out that I'm not at Bobby’s and he knows I'm involved with someone.”

“Bobby?” I asked.

“Family friend.” Sam replied. “And now they both know I’ve got someone in my life.”

“Someone?” I arched an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry—he doesn’t know where I am or that it’s you I'm seeing.”

“Sam just be honest with him. What can it hurt?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“What did he say?”

“Well...the good news is that he didn’t order me to break things off.”

“Order? As in command you like you’re in the army or something?”

“Yeah.”

“But he doesn’t approve?”

“No.”

“Did he say why?”

“He wants me to carry on the family business and I can’t do that if I'm tied down.”

“Wow, ouch.”

“For the record I don’t see it that way. I am committed but I don’t see it as a ball and chain. I am happy.”

“I know but five minutes on the phone with him and you’re bummed out. I know you tried to hide it from everyone but I know you too well. You haven’t been the same since that phone call.”

“I'm just worried that he’ll do something to ruin this.” He gently squeezed my hand.

“Well if my dad has given his approval, albeit hesitantly, he should be cool with it.” I replied.

“He won’t see it that way.”

“What about Dean?”

“No way I'm telling him. He’ll make it worse.”

“How so?”

“He’s the oldest so he’ll automatically follow dad’s lead.”

“Man that sucks. You’d think they’d be happy that you’re happy and you have a chance to build a future with someone.”

“I'm the square peg of the group.” He said, almost sadly. “I don’t really fit in.” Huh...that’s how I felt. “The only time I feel like I belong is when I'm with you.”

“Yeah, same here.” I answered.

“I wonder why that is.” He said. “You have so much going for you...I just don’t see why you’d feel like such an outcast. You have great friends, great family, and you’ve got the brains to do anything you want.”

“It’s hard to explain.” I mumbled. “I’ve always kind of felt...weird, aside from the geek thing.”

“Yeah me too.” He smiled slightly. “I think it’s why we get along so well.”

“It’s weird how two completely different people from varied walks in life can have so much in common.”

“I know.” He said. “And it’s a relief to not feel alone in the world anymore.”

“But... you have your Dad and Dean.”

“They’re family and I love them but it’s like you said...you just don’t feel like you fit in.”

“You’ll always fit in with me.” I whispered.

“Ditto.” He smiled.

He looked behind him and I turned to see my dad looking out at us. It was time to say goodnight, I could tell. I nodded once and then he walked away from the doorway.

“I guess I should go.” He stood up and helped me to my feet. He kissed me but only for a moment. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“You better.” I teased and he smiled slightly.

I watched him walk to his truck and drive away. I couldn’t help but feel like his dad said more than he revealed to me. It was weighing on him and I wasn’t sure how to make it better if he didn’t open up to me about it. I didn’t want to pressure him though. He had enough on his plate. I finally walked back into the house and closed the door. Dad walked over to me.

“How badly did I embarrass you tonight?” He asked with a straight face.

“Quite a bit.” I replied. “But you don’t have to worry about me drinking or doing drugs Dad, that’s just not me—and none of my friends do that either.”

“Tyler?”

“Okay...well...his parents are a bit lax but I swear it’s not like he drinks all the time. He’s a decent guy.”

“So is Matt.” Dad replied. “He seems to take care of his mother and sister.”

“Yeah, he’s a stand-up guy.” I replied. “Are you really okay with the group of us going off camping?”

“Honestly...it kind of freaks me out but you’ll be with a bunch of people, not on your own, and you can take care of yourself.”

“And Sam?”

“He’s not such a bad guy.” Dad replied grudgingly. “Doesn’t mean I like the idea of him being in a tent, alone with you, miles away from here...” Um...crap. I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. “Do we need to have _the talk_ again?”

“No, heck no. I heard you loud and clear.”

“Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“About...?” I answered and he sighed.

“Sex.” _NO!!!!!!_

“Um…no.” I replied, shook my head, and turned red again.

“Is he being _considerate_ to you?” I knew what he was getting at.

“I don’t want to talk about this Dad.”

“Talk to me or I’ll ask him outright.” Holy crap.

“Yeah okay…he’s considerate. He’s not a jerk or a pig.”

“I trust your judgement then.” He answered.

“Can this conversation be over?” I asked while I fidgeted.

“You really don’t like talking about sex?” He asked.

“Not with my Dad.” I replied with a red face.

“How do you think I feel?” He replied. “I just found out that my little girl is a young woman who is having sex with the boyfriend she lied to me about.” Ouch.

“Um…we haven’t been doing that the whole time…just so you know.”

“Fair enough.” He replied. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“I know and I appreciate it.” I hugged him a hug and then rushed upstairs thankful for that to be finally over.


	9. Road Trip

A few days later we got together with the rest of the group to get the directions to the campsite. Tyler took it upon himself to buy everyone maps and highlight the easiest route to the site on each one. It appeared that I wasn’t the only one excited to be getting away from everything. We thought about carpooling but Sam’s truck only had room for one extra person and although I offered to take Jeremy, Elena figured it was just easier if he went with her and Matt, which left Tyler and Vicky going together. For some reason that bugged me but I didn’t know why. I liked Vicky but I didn’t think she was a good match for Tyler; they just seemed like an odd pairing. Oh well. I wasn’t going to say anything if he was happy. The last thing I wanted to do was ruffle any feathers.

Bonnie had already left with her family for a cross-country trip with her family and wasn’t expected back until the last week of August. It felt weird to go on a trip without her but as long as she was having a good time I didn’t care. She would send periodic text messages letting us know where they stayed and what sights they saw. I told her that Tyler had found a campsite around Lake Charles, Louisiana. It was roughly a two-day drive but Tyler insisted that it would be well worth it. At first Bonnie didn’t seem enthused with the location but she didn’t elaborate why. I tried to ask but she brushed it off as her being paranoid. I wasn’t so sure but since I wasn’t getting any bad vibes about our trip I decided to shrug it off. When I told Dad, he was a bit surprised.

“That’s a two-day drive.” He replied. “Are you going to pitch the tents on the way there?” Good question.

“I'm not sure but that seems like a lot of work.”

“No kidding.”

“They’ll probably want to stay at a motel after the first night.” He frowned. “We’ll probably bunk together to save money though.”

“That would make sense.” He replied.

I showed him the map and the directions that Tyler had laid out for us.

“So he’s taking you the scenic route then.”

“You’ve been to Louisiana?” I asked.

“A while back. It’s beautiful out there but very, very hot.”

“I bet.” I commented. He looked worried. “Dad. I'm going to be okay.”

“I know.” He forced a smile. “And I'm glad you have your cell because if something happens you can call me.”

“And vice versa.” I replied.

“What about Sam?” He asked.

“He has a cell phone too and I'm sure his Dad knows all about the trip.”

Without notice he pulled out his wallet and removed a small wad of cash and handed it to me. I arched my eyebrows. I began to count it and noticed it was all hundred-dollar bills, 10 of them to be exact.

“Dad? I don’t need this much money.”

“It’s emergency money just in case something happens. Car trouble, food trouble, tent leaks, you name it—you’ll have something to fall back on.”

“I'm pretty sure that Sam has it covered.”

“I'm sure he does but consider this as plan B.”

“Fine.” I replied and put it into my wallet.

“Don’t tell Sam.”

“Why the hell not? He’s not going to rip me off.”

“I didn’t think he would, I'm just saying... don’t let him know about it unless you have to use it.”

“You’re acting weird.”

“I'm being careful.”

“No... you’re being paranoid. We’re going to be fine out there. Tyler, Matt and Jeremy are pretty tough and of course Sam—well nothing gets by him. We’ll be safe, trust me.”

“I believe you.” He replied. “But maybe just in case you should take one of my guns.”

“I'm not taking one of your guns. That’s just crazy and if I get caught with it I’ll be in deep crap.”

“I have a permit for it.”

“But I'm a minor, permit or not.” He sighed unhappily. “Dad... nobody will mess with me. I’m a well-oiled fighting machine, remember?”

“True.” He considered it. “Now that I think about it, I feel sorry for anyone who tries to come at you.”

“Ha, very funny.”

“I'm serious. You pack a mean punch.” Good.

“So does Sam.” I replied and then he frowned.

“How would you know that?” Uh-oh... quick! Think of something!

“You know what guys are like. They like to show off and spar with other guys to see who’s stronger.”

“And who’s stronger between him and Tyler?”

“From what I saw, it’s a tie. Tyler’s on the football team but Sam hunts with his dad and brother so it keeps him active.”

“Interesting.”

After musing all the details and our projected itinerary he finally signed off on it, officially. It eased his mind to know that Tyler had already booked accommodations for us halfway to the campsite so we didn’t have to drive straight through. Tyler told him that we were sharing a large suite but it was a lie. We had our own rooms and Sam had already given Tyler the money for it. I struggled with telling Dad the truth about it but I didn’t want to worry him. It’s not as though the rooms were in a motel in the backwoods. It was at a four-star hotel in the city. We weren’t likely to get into trouble there. Sam had some money put aside for the trip and I of course had saved some along with the ridiculous emergency fund that Dad had given me. Besides, if one of us ran into trouble out there Tyler would bail us out. I just knew it and so would Bonnie if she knew. I wasn’t worried though.

When the day finally came for us to leave Arielle was reluctant to let me go. She walked me to the truck and after giving Sam a hug she waited for him to get inside before looking at me.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” She whispered. “You sure this is a good idea?” That was new.

“I'm okay with it besides, I have a bunch of bodyguards going with me.” She looked at Sam who watched from inside the truck and she smiled.

“He’s a badass.” She commented and my eyes widened.

“What?” I asked in shock and she put her hands over her mouth.

“Don’t tell Dad I said that.” She whispered. “I heard it somewhere.”

“Don’t ever repeat it near him.”

“I won’t, I promise.” She gave me a hug and kissed my cheek. “If something happens, Sam will protect you.”

I pulled away and before I could say anything she darted off back to the house. Dad and Andrew smiled and waved.

“Call me when you get to your room.” He said and I nodded before getting in the truck.

“What’s with Arielle?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know. For some reason she seems worried.”

“Are you?”

“No. I can kick ass.” I replied and he chuckled.

“You sure can.” He answered and then started the truck.

I watched my dad and the twins, waving at them, until we were out of sight. I couldn’t get what Arielle said out of my head. That should’ve been the first sign but I brushed it off as inconsequential, however—it wasn’t.

Meanwhile after watching me drive off with Sam Dad ushered the twins inside where they promptly ran to the back of the house and ventured into the backyard to play. He picked up the phone and called John.

“How long has she been gone? 5 seconds?” John joked but Dad wasn’t amused.

“Is your phone broken? I’ve been trying to reach you all week.”

“We’ve been knee deep in the backwoods investigating demonic omens and my damn phone died, had to get a new battery, why... what’s wrong?”

“You’ve been in Louisiana before, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“They’re taking an indirect route to Lake Charles.”

“Which indirect route?”

“One that leads them close to Ambrose by the look of it.”

“What? Call her right now and tell her to change the trajectory.” John was serious.

“That bad?”

“You remember me telling you about how Rufus, Ed and I barely made it out of a literal ghost town in one piece? Well that’s the one and it was the three of us.”

“Damn it. If you three had a hard time there they’ll be no match for what’s out there.”

“Get her on the phone.”

“And what am I supposed to tell her?” Dad said.

“Whatever story fits. Make something up.” John said.

“She’ll think I'm trying to sabotage the trip.” Dad replied.

“Son of a bitch.” John commented.

“You should call Sam and tell him to change directions.”

“I'm on it.” John said and hung up.

We weren’t even 10 minutes out of Mystic Falls when Sam’s cell phone began ringing. He eyed it curiously but debated about answering it. He looked at the display, frowned and promptly ignored the call.

“What’s wrong?” I asked curiously.

“It’s my dad.”

“What if it’s an emergency?”

“He’ll leave a message and I’ll call him back.”

“Wow, you’re still angry with him.”

“I didn’t tell you that he came to see me at the motel.”

“What? When?”

“About a week after he called me at your place.” _And I'm just finding out about it now?_

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to upset you, besides it’s my problem, not yours.”

“We’re in this together...what affects you—affects me.”

“Believe me you don’t want to get in the middle of this.”

“Obviously the visit was a disaster.”

“World War 3.” Sam commented.

“What did he say?” I asked and he shook his head.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Wow, that bad?”

“Enough that I almost told him to get the hell out of my life.”

“Whoa.” I replied. “But you didn’t.”

“No but I was so close.”

“He’s the only family you have—don’t burn any bridges that you’ll want to cross later.”

“Some bridges are so rundown that they’re beyond repairing.”

For Sam to say something like that I knew his dad must have crossed a line but he refused to talk to me about it. I tried to reason with him and let him know that I was sure his dad meant well but he couldn’t see it. He was so angry and he let it fester so I dropped the subject entirely but I still thought he should call him back. We drove in silence for about 20 minutes and during that time his dad must have called 10 times.

“Sam just answer the phone.”

“No. You don’t get it. He probably found out we’re going camping and is trying to throw a wrench into our plans.”

“If you don’t answer your phone I will.” I replied stubbornly. “It has to be important or he would stop calling.”

“Fine.” He muttered angrily and finally answered the phone. “What?” He said bitterly. “I'm driving.”

“What the hell took you so long to answer?” John stated annoyed.

“Like I said, I'm driving. What do you want?”

“Change your tone.”

“You’ve got 5 seconds before I hang up and shut the phone off.”

“Fine... look I didn’t call to fight.”

“Then why are you?”

“You have to change your course.” John stated somberly.

“What? Why?” Sam said suspiciously.

“Because the route you’re taking leads you too close to Ambrose.”

“So?”

“Ambrose, do you not remember me telling you about that town?” John asked urgently. Sam thought about it.

“I'm not sure.”

“It’s the town that Ed, Rufus and I barely made it out of.” John replied. Sam was quiet for a few minutes.

“Sam? You still there?” John said anxiously.

“Yeah I'm here.” He replied sullenly.

“Do you remember _now_?” John asked and Sam sighed.

“Yeah but look I’ll have to call you back when we make a pit stop.”

“Listen to me son, I know you’re pissed at me for what I said the last time we saw each other but don’t brush this off.”

“Fine. I won’t but I can’t talk now.”

“Call me back.”

“Yeah.” Sam said and hung up. He put the cell down and stared straight ahead while I waited for him to explain.

“Well...?” I asked anxiously. “What did he say?”

“You’re right, it was important but it’s family stuff.”

“Nobody’s dead, right?”

“No but I do have to call him back. It’s serious.”

“Is Dean okay?”

“Not serious like that. It’s something else but I can’t get into it.”

He didn’t divulge anything else but I felt a bit relieved, at least nobody’s life was in danger. One day I was going to have to get him to open up about the drama with his family. If he continued to let it fester he would blow up one day and regardless what he said I didn’t think he should burn any bridges even if they appeared irreparable. If I let him do that we would both regret it. As I sat there thinking about it he reached over with his free hand and gently grabbed mine. I looked at him and he gazed at me for a moment before looking back at the road. I moved over to the middle seat and belted myself in so I could be closer to him. It seemed to ease the tension and he sighed happily as he squeezed my hand. I leaned against him and watched the road. I closed my eyes but not because I was tired, more like I was relaxed. He reached over and turned the radio on, careful not to disturb me. As it played gently in the background my mind wandered to what our first camping trip was going to be like. I imagined us swimming, hiking, canoeing, and sleeping under the stars. It felt nice to get away, almost liberating.

After a few hours we noticed, up ahead, that Tyler pulled off the road and Matt followed.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“No idea but it’s just as well. I'm sure you might want to stretch your legs we’ve been driving for a while.”

“I'm fine. I’d rather keep driving for a while more.”

“Yeah, me too.” He replied as he pulled off and parked behind Matt.

We got out of the truck and I stretched for a few minutes before we walked up to meet them at their cars.

“What’s up?” Sam asked as we approached them.

“The girls need a break.” Matt said as he looked at Elena and Vicky.

“Really?” I asked. “But we’ve only been driving for a few hours. We have a long way to go yet.”

“Tell me about it.” Tyler mumbled. “We still have about 5 hours before we reach the hotel.”

“I could use a quick pit stop.” Vicky mentioned.

“Yeah me too.” Elena added. “We won’t be long.”

“There’s a town about 30 miles ahead.” Tyler said looking at the map and then showed us. “We could stop there.”

Everyone agreed and looked at us. I didn’t want to stop but I finally conceded.

“Okay.” I replied and Sam nodded.

“Sure.” He said. “I have to make a phone call anyway.”

“Why don’t you make it now?” Matt asked. “You’ve got your cell on you.”

“I have a feeling it will take more than 5 minutes.”

“Alright well let’s not waste any more time.” Tyler folded up the map and walked back to the car.

We got back in the truck and I sighed.

“You okay?” Sam asked.

“I'm fine... just annoyed I guess. I don’t want to be stopping every couple of hours.”

“Me either but the good thing is that we’re not on a tight schedule.”

“True.” I replied.

He started the truck and we followed the others back onto the road. It wasn’t long before we saw the off ramp for the town. As we followed them I couldn’t help but think that we should keep driving. I kept getting an odd feeling but I couldn’t place it. They ended up parking in front of a local diner and then got out.

“I'm going to be a few minutes.” Sam commented as he walked around the truck and met me on the sidewalk.

“Don’t burn any bridges.” I replied firmly.

“Okay, I won’t.” He smiled slightly and watched me follow the rest of my friends into the diner.

He pulled out his cell phone and sighed before making the call while we took a seat at a booth by the window. I could see Sam who appeared to be oblivious to me watching him. He was staring at his cell phone with a furrowed brow. I could tell by the expression on his face that something was wrong. I wasn’t sure if it had to do with the blow up he had with his dad or if it was something else. After a moment Tyler nudged me.

“You okay?” He asked as he followed my line of sight.

“Yeah.” I faced him and forced a smile.

“Sam looks pissed about something.”

“He had a huge blow up with his dad.” I replied.

“Is that why he’s staring at his cell phone like he wants to throw it against the wall?”

“Probably.” I replied and stared at Sam again.

“What was the fight about?” He asked curiously.

“Me.” I replied.

“Why?” Tyler frowned.

“It’s a long story. He’s not mad at me but he doesn’t think Sam should be dating anyone if they’re always on the road.” I replied carefully.

“That’s not his choice to make though—it’s Sam’s.” Tyler replied.

“Like I said…long story, complicated situation.”

“His dad sounds like a jerk.” Tyler muttered just before the server walked over to our table.

While he gave his order, I looked around the diner. There were a few patrons inside but nothing out of the ordinary. The server was friendly and took our order while we waited for Elena and Vicky use to the washroom. Matt and Jeremy joined us after they used the facilities and I continued to stare at Sam as he paced around the front of the building.

“Is everything okay?” Jeremy asked as he watched Sam.

“Yeah, it’s all good.” I replied nervously and sipped on water.

“Sam doesn’t look very happy.” Matt commented.

“Family drama.” Tyler interjected and I nodded once.

Within seconds after we walked into the diner… Sam sighed as he finally dialled the number to John’s cell. He picked up after a couple of rings.

“Can you talk freely now?” John asked rather bluntly.

“Yeah, they’re in a diner.” Sam replied. “I'm free to say whatever.”

“You have to take a different route. You don’t want to go anywhere near that town, believe me.”

“How the hell am I going to convince them to do that? This has been planned for weeks.”

“Figure it out.” John answered firmly.

“You don’t get it…if I just tell them out of the blue to take a different route they’re going to be suspicious and I know Tyler won’t go for it, he hates me.”

“That’s because he has a thing for Nina but if you come up with a convincing story then he’ll go along with it.”

“No he won’t.” Sam answered instantly.

“He will if Nina asks him to.”

“You want me to use her to manipulate him? You don’t think he’ll see through that?”

“This is about saving lives not saving face. Do what you need to in order to save them.” John snapped. “Now…do you have a map with you?”

“Of course.” Sam replied, sighed, and reached into the truck to grab it.

He spread it on the hood of the truck and I arched an eyebrow.

“What’s he doing?” Matt asked as he noticed Sam looking at the map.

“I have no idea.” I arched an eyebrow. “Maybe he’s trying to ascertain if there is a better way to the site.”

“I’ve been there before... trust me I picked the best route.” Tyler replied, annoyed at the thought.

Vicky and Elena returned and sat with us. The waitress began to make her way over to us, and I kept watching Sam.

“What’s Sam doing?” Elena asked curiously.

“Who the hell knows?” Tyler replied, still annoyed.

“Dude.” Matt shook his head.

“What?” Tyler asked.

“You don’t have to be a dick.” Jeremy replied.

“I didn’t mean it as a dig at him—I'm just annoyed we stopped.” Tyler replied.

“Who is he talking to?” Vicky asked.

“I'm not sure.” I replied.

“Could you hurry up and order something so we’re not here all day?” Tyler interrupted.

“Fine…okay.” Vicky rolled her eyes and I couldn’t stop watching Sam and tuning out everyone around me.

Elena and Vicky gave their orders while I kept sipping my water and staring at Sam. I couldn’t make out his expressions but he was studying the map intently. I had a feeling something was up.

“We could take the main interstate but it looks like we’d have to backtrack a bit to get to where the site is.”

“That’s a hell of a lot better than the back roads near Ambrose.” John replied.

“We could get back onto the interstate when we’re a couple hours away.” Sam suggested.

“That’s a good idea.”

“That’s not the problem—it’s convincing them it’s a good idea.” Sam stated, again.

“Say whatever works.”

“I told you…the real problem is going to be Tyler.”

“I’ve met him. He’s stubborn.”

“It goes beyond stubbornness. He tolerates me because of Nina. I doubt he’ll listen to anything I say.”

“Then convince her because she’ll convince him. You don’t have to ask her to talk to him… if she thinks it’s a good idea then she’ll talk to him without you asking.”

“I hate the idea of manipulating her.” Sam asked.

“You’re doing this to protect her—hell to protect them all. That’s not something you should feel bad about.”

“Okay…I’ll try.”

“Don’t try, just do it.” John answered firmly.

“You sound like Yoda.” Sam replied.

“What?” John asked.

“Yoda—you know from Star Wars...do or do not, there is no try.”

“Okay...well then just _do_.” John replied.

“I’ll do my best.” Sam said and ended the call. He looked at me through the window and forced a smile.

He walked back inside and sat beside me.

“Who were you talking to?” Tyler asked.

“My Dad.” Sam replied.

“You needed a map to talk to your dad?” Matt asked.

“He was curious of our route and I told him. He suggested making a detour.”

“Why?” Tyler asked suspiciously.

“He thought it could cut the time in half.” Sam replied instantly.

“I'm all for getting there sooner.” Vicky said with a grin.

“Then you might not want to make a pit stop every few hours.” Jeremy quipped and she rolled her eyes.

“I told you—I’ve already been there—we’re taking the fastest way.” Tyler replied firmly.

“Um—maybe Sam’s dad knows something you don’t.” I suggested. “He does travel a lot.”

“That’s true.” Elena agreed. Tyler didn’t want to agree with Sam.

“Show me the route after we’re done eating and we’ll see how much time it will save.” He replied stiffly. Sam nodded.

The waitress came back and asked Sam if he wanted anything but he refused. Oddly enough I also wasn’t hungry. I ordered a bagel and an orange juice but I could barely eat that. When we were finished and left the diner Tyler pulled out the map and motioned for Sam to go over. Matt and Jeremy walked over to them to see what they were talking about while we stood there, bored, waiting for them to hurry up and finish. I gazed across the street and noticed someone staring at us. We would definitely stand apart from the locals but there was something about the way this guy looked at us that gave me a weird feeling.

“What are you looking at?” Elena asked me.

“Uh...” I looked at her for a moment and then back to where the guy stood but he was gone. “Nothing, I guess.”

“You okay?” She asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’ve got that look.” She said.

“What look?” Vicky asked.

“The look that says she has a weird feeling about something.”

“I'm just anxious to get on the road.” I replied.

Tyler’s angry voice interrupted our thoughts.

“You’re kidding right?” Tyler exclaimed. “That will take us out of the way and we’ll have to backtrack to the site.”

“But it will be quicker. We can go faster on the interstate than on a back road where you don’t know what kind of things you’d face.”

“It is probably safer on the interstate.” Jeremy piped up. “And definitely faster.”

“But boring.” Matt interjected. “And Tyler has made the trip before—so he knows the best route.”

“I'm just saying...” Sam tried to reply but Tyler cut him off.

“No, forget it.” Tyler replied. “We’re taking the way I already mapped out.”

He folded up the map and got into his car in a huff.

“I guess that’s settled.” Jeremy replied and walked back to Matt’s car. Sam stood there with Matt.

“Are you trying to piss him off?” Matt asked.

“No, I'm trying to save us some time and unnecessary grief.”

“I’ll see if I can talk to him about it later.” Matt said. “But I wouldn’t bring it up again if I were you.”

“Got it.” Sam replied and walked to the truck.

“What was that about?” Elena asked Matt.

“I’ll tell you later.” He replied and got in the car.

“Guys can be idiots.” Vicky mumbled to me before she got into Tyler’s car.

“Don’t I know it?” I whispered and then got into the truck. I looked at Sam, who was sulking. “What’s wrong?”

“Tyler won’t listen to a thing I say, even if it makes sense.”

“You really think this other route is better?”

“Yeah, I do. It will probably be safer for one.”

“Safer?”

“I’ve been to Louisiana before. You never know what you’ll encounter in the backwoods. I know Tyler’s been to the campsite but you have to remember that I’ve hunted in some of these areas. I know what’s out there.”

“And by _hunted_ you’re not just talking about the cute, cuddly, wildlife.”

“No.” He replied quietly.

“The interstate will be quicker?”

“Yes and if anything goes wrong we’re not stuck in the middle of nowhere.” He had a point.

“I’ll see if I can talk to him at the hotel.”

“He’ll listen to you.” Sam mumbled and I sighed.

“Don’t take it personally.”

“Oh I don’t, I know you’re the real issue behind it.”

“What?”

“Come on Nina. He just barely tolerates me.”

“He likes you.”

“He knows I love you and I'm not a jackass to you but that’s it.”

“The fact he accepted the camping idea is huge.”

“He did it because of you. I don’t care if he is dating Vicky, he still loves you.”

“There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“I know.” He sighed unhappily.

“Then maybe don’t antagonize him.”

“All I did was suggest a quicker route, how is that being antagonistic?”

“Next time tell me and I’ll ask him. It might go over smoother.”

“I bet.” He muttered quietly.

For the next while we drove in silence. I didn’t know what was really bothering him but it wasn’t just about Tyler. I noticed that the guys had picked up speed since our first pit stop and while Sam was keeping up with them I could tell that he was aggravated. I was happy when we got to the hotel because the attempts I made to talk to Sam had failed miserably.

“I’ll carry our things inside.” He mumbled quietly.

He parked the truck and got out right away. I got out and stretched my legs.

“Nice place.” Elena commented as she walked over to me and looked at the hotel.

“Ty’s got great taste.” Vicky said as she walked by us toward the entrance.

“He sure does.” I commented. “I’ll have to make sure to reimburse him.”

“Sam already did that.” Elena whispered.

“When?”

“The second he found out that Tyler booked a hotel.”

“Oh.”

“You girls coming or what?” Tyler asked with a grin, holding their luggage. Sam stood beside us.

“Duh.” Elena commented and walked ahead with him and Matt who was waiting for her.

“At least we’ll sleep well tonight.” I stated as I looked up at Sam.

“No doubt about that.” He smiled but it was hollow. Something was eating at him and I wish he’d tell me.

“Are you mad at me or something?” I asked and he looked shocked.

“No.”

“You’re quiet, too quiet and I feel like I’ve done something wrong.”

“Sorry. Just have a lot on my mind.”

“Family stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Tyler stuff?”

“Kind of but not really. Trust me I'm not mad or anything.”

“You’re aggravated, that much I know and if you’re going to be like this the whole time we’re not going to have any fun.”

“I think I’ll feel better after a hot shower.” He replied and I gave him a sultry smile.

“Maybe I’ll feel better too...” He genuinely smiled at that comment and we began walking toward the hotel.

When we got inside someone took our bags for us and led us up to our room which just happened to be down the hall from the others. When the concierge dropped the luggage off at the door Sam promptly gave him a tip before I could even reach for my wallet. He smirked at me knowing it would bother me and then opened the door, motioning me to go first, which I did. He set the bags inside and shut the door behind him, locking it immediately.

“You don’t have to pay for everything, Sam. I have my own money.”

“I know you do it’s just that we don’t usually do anything other than see movies and go to restaurants. It’s nice to be able to do something special for a change.”

“Is that why you paid for the room already?”

“It’s a guy thing.”

“What?”

“I couldn’t very well let Tyler pay for our room.” Ah...it was a pride thing. No guy should provide for me but him.

“I told you I’d split the cost.”

“You did.”

“I did?”

“You split the cost for the campsite.”

“That was peanuts.” I protested. “And nothing compared to this.”

“You’re ridiculously independent.” He commented as he leaned down to kiss me but I hesitated.

“You can’t distract me by a kiss.”

“Really?” He proceeded to do just that and I got caught up in it. When he pulled away he was grinning.

“Jerk.” I replied and playfully hit him.

There was a knock on the door. I walked over and opened it. Elena, Vicky, Matt, Jeremy and Tyler were standing there.

“We’re going to get something to eat.” Matt said.

“You coming?” Tyler asked.

“Oh yeah...I can eat.” I replied.

“Me too.” Sam added.

He put the key card for the hotel in his pocket and we closed the door behind us as we followed them to the restaurant on the first floor. There was a buffet and the guys went to town, loading up on everything while the rest of us had modest amounts on our plates.

“They sure can eat a lot.” Vicky commented.

“Tell me about it.” Elena remarked. “They have hollow legs.”

“Makes sense though.” I replied. “They’re all pretty active.”

“Jeremy doesn’t do sports.” Elena replied.

“He’s a guy though... I think they’re hardwired to eat everything.” I answered and they laughed.

When we finished eating we took the elevator back to our floor. Sam looked down at me and then at Tyler. I knew what he was thinking. He wanted me to talk to him about taking an alternate route.

“I hope you guys aren’t ready to sleep yet.” Tyler stated. “I figured we could hang for a bit.”

“Sounds good to me.” Matt said and Jeremy agreed.

“Not for too long though.” Elena replied. “We need to leave at a decent time tomorrow.”

“For sure.” Vicky agreed.

Tyler had an awesome suite. A huge TV was mounted on the wall in a sitting area just beyond a king-sized bed. He immediately turned the TV on while we sat on the couches. He opened the mini-fridge and began removing soda from it. When he realized he didn’t have any cups he walked around the corner into the huge bathroom. That’s when I followed him. He was about to grab a couple of them off the counter.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked sweetly.

“Sure. What’s up?”

“I know it must be hard for you that Sam’s here but can you maybe tone it down a bit?” I asked quietly.

“Is this about taking the interstate?”

“No it’s not just about that. You’ve been short with him the last few days and it’s not right.”

“Fine.” He sighed.

“I thought you were happy with Vicky.”

“Come on Nina… we both know she is a distraction.” He whispered.

“That’s not fair to her and you know it.”

“Trust me...she’s not in love with me or anything.”

“So you’re having a mutual fling?”

“Kind of.”

“Does Matt know this?”

“Matt knows what his sister is like.”

“She’s a sweet girl, Tyler.”

“She’s into some things you’re unaware of and I can’t stop her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’ll fill you in another time.”

“Fine.” I sighed. “About the whole alternate route thing...”

“Here we go.” He replied and rolled his eyes.

“Look... for just a moment... imagine it was my suggestion and not Sam’s. Would you still say no?”

“What is the big damn deal about taking the route I mapped out? You think I’d put you in harm’s way?”

“No...”

“Nina, I’ve taken this route a few times. This isn’t my first camping trip. I know what I'm doing.”

“I believe you but so does Sam. Him, his brother and his dad have travelled the area and encountered some pretty dangerous things. He’s only suggesting it for our benefit, not to be a pain in the ass.”

“Fine, fine! We’ll take his way but if something goes wrong—it’s on him—not me.”

“What could possibly go wrong on the interstate?”

“I'm just saying. If his detour comes back to bite us in the ass I'm going to be pissed.”

“Fair enough.”

He picked up the cups and went into the other room while I stayed there for a moment, happy that he finally agreed to Sam’s suggestion. When I went back into the sitting room he was talking to everyone about the change in trajectory. It raised some eyebrows but Sam seemed pleased. Tyler said that Matt and I had pointed out it wasn’t such a bad idea and that it didn’t matter how long it took for us to get there as long as we arrived safely. Nobody disagreed with that. Once he was done he gave Sam an annoyed look and then turned his attention to the show on TV and sat with Vicky. I sat with Sam and he put an arm around me.

“Nice work.” He whispered in my ear.

“Shhh.” I replied. “Watch the show.” He smirked and watched the TV while Tyler stole a glance at me.

I stared at Vicky for a moment to try and figure out what Tyler was talking about. She seemed fine to me but it was obvious Tyler knew something I didn’t. I definitely had to get the inside scoop later to find out what the real problem was.

We hung out for a short while later and then returned to our rooms. When we got back to ours Sam practically tackled me. He picked me up in his arms and began kissing me like he was on fire. It wasn’t long after that I felt like I was on fire and we undressed quickly. Ever since Dad found out that we were dating he was careful to make sure we didn’t have much alone time and we now that we were finally allotted some privacy we wanted to make the best of it. I wasn’t going to complain. We took full advantage of the huge Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. We weren’t long but definitely satisfied when we finished and then when we were dried off and I thought we ready to go to sleep… he started up again. He removed my towel and carried me to the huge bed. We were a bit longer there. When we were finally done I sighed happily.

“I wish we could just stay in bed all day tomorrow.” I commented.

“Me too.” He put an arm around me. I cuddled up to him while he reached over and turned off the lamp.

It didn’t take long for us to fall asleep but it wasn’t to last. Initially I slept peacefully but my pleasant dreams abruptly shifted to something out of a horror movie. Creepy characters attacking campers and threatening to torture and kill them. When I saw myself strapped to a chair with a man’s hand gripping my chin I awoke, startled, with a loud scream.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Sam stated in a panic.

Sam scrambled to turn on a light and when he finally did he looked around the room with a curious expression. I followed his gaze and noticed that several things were on the floor, including the lamp from my nightstand. I was frozen in place and shivering from the nightmare. He slowly walked over, sat on the bed and gently put a hand on my shoulder. I looked at him in total fear—not because of him but what I dreamt. It felt real.

“It was so real.” I replied. “The dream...I thought...” My voice trailed off.

“You thought what?” He asked, worriedly.

“I thought I was going to die.”

“What?”

His brow furrowed and he looked at the floor again. Not even a minute later there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it.” He put a pair of track pants on while I put on a long t-shirt.

He opened the door and Tyler barged in, along with Matt and Jeremy. Elena and Vicky walked in slowly and closed the door.

“What the hell is going on in here?” Tyler yelled and ran over to the bed. That’s when he noticed the floor. He misconstrued what he saw and immediately slammed Sam against the wall. “What did you do?” He demanded.

“Nothing!” Sam replied and shoved him away. “She had some kind of nightmare.”

“Bullshit.” Tyler replied.

“The walls shook.” Matt replied. Jeremy and Elena walked over to the bed.

“Nina... did Sam do something to you?” Elena asked as she sat on the bed.

“I didn’t do anything! She startled me awake and I was anxious to find out what happened until you interrupted us.” Elena ignored his response and put a hand on my shoulder.

“I had a nightmare.” I replied quietly. “Sam was only trying to help me.”

“Then what’s with all the stuff on the floor?” Tyler picked up broken pieces of the lamp.

“I must have knocked them off in my sleep when I was trying to defend myself.”

“Defend yourself?” Jeremy interrupted. “From what?”

“Whatever was trying to kill me in my dream.” I replied.

“What the hell kind of dream were you having?” Matt asked.

“Apparently one that involved crazy people attacking campers.” I replied.

“Damn it.” Tyler muttered and then looked over at Sam. “You’ve got her all creeped out by your comments.”

“This had nothing to do with Sam. Whatever I dreamt was like a bad horror movie and I couldn’t turn it off.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing we’ve changed our route.” Jeremy smiled.

“I’ll say.” Vicky added and Tyler frowned at her.

“I just don’t get why the walls would shake though.” Matt looked around the room.

“Maybe it was a small earthquake.” Elena suggested.

“That would be unusual for this city.” Sam replied but then quickly continued. “Although... stranger things have happened.”

“So you’re okay?” Tyler asked.

“I think so.” I replied while Elena began sweeping up the remnants of the lamp from the floor.

“I can do that.” I replied.

“It’s okay.” She said and put them in the garbage.

Sam put the alarm clock and other unbroken knickknacks back on the nightstand.

“I have money to pay for the damage.” I stated.

“Don’t worry about it.” Tyler said. “I’ve got it covered.”

“It did feel like an earthquake.” Jeremy stated.

There was another knock on the door. Matt walked over and opened it. A night manager was standing outside.

“We’re just checking to make sure everyone is alright.” He said. “It seems we had a small earthquake.”

“Some stuff got broken.” Vicky piped up.

“We have insurance for that kind of thing.” He said. “As long as there aren’t any injuries.”

We looked at each other and then subsequently shook our heads.

“Good. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening. Should you require assistance do not hesitate to ask.”

We nodded politely and he left the room. Matt shut the door.

“I guess it’s a good thing we did come in to check on you.” Matt said.

“You seemed to get the brunt of it.” Tyler said, concerned.

Sam had that look on his face. The kind that made me think he was a secret private investigator who was trying to piece a very difficult puzzle together.

  
“If you don’t mind do you think we can get back to sleep?” Sam asked.

“Sure, yeah.” Elena nodded and pulled on Jeremy’s sleeve.

“Maybe you should watch a comedy or something before you go to sleep.” Matt suggested.

“No doubt.” Tyler added.

“Very funny guys.” I replied and rolled my eyes.

“I'm glad you’re alright.” Vicky said.

They slowly walked out of the room. Sam shut the door behind them and then locked it.

“You’re sure you’re okay because I’ve never seen you that scared before.”

“It was just a dream, right?” I replied with forced hope but I was sure he could see right through it.

After a second he arched his head and his eyes narrowed.

“What happened to your chin?” He walked closer.

He sat down and gently touched my face but I cringed, for some reason it hurt.

“I don’t know, maybe I whacked it on the nightstand.” I commented quietly.

“I should put some ice on it.” He said.

“It should be okay...it doesn’t feel too bad.”

“If it’s worse in the morning we’ll get an ice pack.” He insisted.

“Deal.” I replied and he turned on the TV and put a sitcom on. “What are you doing?”

“Taking their advice and putting on a comedy. You need to feel better.”

I cuddled beside him and fell asleep giggling to endless episodes of Friends. The rest of the night I kept dreaming about the shenanigans of Chandler Bing, Joey Tribbiani and Ross Gellar. It was hilarious and I didn’t want it to stop.

Thankfully I slept through the rest of the night. When I got ready the next morning Sam was watching me like he expected me to have a breakdown or something.

“What?” I asked as I put a clip in my hair.

“How do you feel?”

“I'm fine.” I replied. “Seriously...it was just a dream.”

“You were beyond freaked out. You screamed so loud that even your friends in the nearby rooms thought someone was attacking you.”

“I didn’t realize I was so vocal when I had nightmares.”

“It felt... _different._ ”

“What?” I put the brush down.

“You weren’t scared like it was a dream; you acted like it was happening to you.”

“That’s nuts... besides with the amount of training that I have anyone who came at me now would be sorry they did.”

“Plus you have me...” He smiled.

“True.” I smiled and put a hand around his waist. “Stop worrying. I'm good.”

“If you say so.” He replied and began packing up our stuff before we met everyone for breakfast.

What he didn’t know is that I had put a ton of makeup overtop the bruises that appeared on my face so nobody could see them. Without the makeup, it didn’t look like I hit my face on the nightstand, it looked like someone gripped my chin and squeezed hard—just like the nightmare. That was creepier than the nightmare itself but I wasn’t about to tell anyone. With the guys I knew I would be safe and I seriously doubted that anything would happen if we were on the interstate... but why on earth would I have a nightmare like that? I didn’t even watch horror movies. I hated them. They all ended up the same... evil men or monsters killing off the guys and then raping or torturing the women. It pissed me off to no end. God help the poor son of a bitch who ever tried to do that to me. I wouldn’t hesitate in breaking any of his limbs—with or without someone else’s help.

I got some curious glances as we walked into the dining room. I just shook my head with a smile.

“I'm okay guys—really.” I commented. “It was nothing.” Elena’s glance made me think otherwise.

“Just making sure.” Matt said as we sat down.

“So how many rooms were affected by the earthquake?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“It only affected our side of the building but mainly our rooms.” Jeremy replied.

“That’s weird.”

“Earthquakes are unpredictable.” Sam replied.

“True.”

“Did any of your stuff get wrecked?” I asked but they all shook their heads. “That’s even weirder.”

“Could be a fault in the foundation.” Matt said.

“That’s reassuring.” Elena replied.

“Yeah, really.” Vicky added.

“Doesn’t matter now anyway. I'm sure the insurance adjusters will look into it.” Sam replied. “If they find something out of place they will report it.”

I had successfully redirected the conversation to the structural soundness of the hotel and I was relieved. I didn’t want to think about the nightmare I had, or how my face oddly felt tender like someone actually gripped it. I ate my meal and listened to everyone talk. The dining room was buzzing with people talking about the earthquake and we had a hard time not eavesdropping on their conversations. I tried to tune it out but it was hard to ignore the comments, especially since more than once the incident was described as a rare _act of God_. God had nothing to do with it; it had less to do with Him and more to do a freaky act of nature and their musings annoyed me.

We had to eat quicker than normal because Tyler kept saying that he wanted to make it to the campsite before sunset and our last-minute detour might cost us extra time. He tried to be polite about it but I could tell the comment was directed at Sam but thankfully he just ignored it and I brushed it off. We finished our meals and then used the facilities so we could get on the road before Tyler drove us nuts about how long we were taking.

In the midst of the drive Sam was quiet but out of the corner of my eye I caught him stealing concerned glances at me. I was still tired seeing as though we didn’t get a full night’s sleep and even though I was sitting up I kept nodding off. I wasn’t sure how he was so awake but I couldn’t help the fact that I was exhausted. Finally I just leaned against Sam and fell asleep. It only felt like minutes later when I woke up and that was only because the truck came to a stop and I felt the slight jolt. I was still leaning against Sam and he had his arm around me. I slowly lifted my head and rubbed my eyes.

“I hope I didn’t get any drool on you.” I stated sleepily.

“You didn’t, don’t worry.” He smiled.

“Where are we?” I sat up and looked around.

“Pit stop.” He replied and stared at the cars beside us.

“Oh boy—I bet Tyler’s happy about that.”

“You better take advantage of it because I don’t think he’ll let us stop again until we get to the site.”

“Good idea.” I replied. “You coming?”

“Sure, why not.”

We got out of the car and went inside the small diner we were parked in front of. Tyler stood there looking at his watching and tapping his foot impatiently while we walked inside and headed toward the washrooms. I tried not to smile and tick him off. Sam couldn’t help it.

“It won’t be funny if we’re still trying to find the campsite in the dark.” He commented.

“Tyler relax, we’ll get there in plenty of time.” I replied.

“Hope so.” He stared at Sam who didn’t turn around but walked into the Men’s room without a snide remark.

I decided to follow his lead and not make another comment. I used the washroom and tried to freshen up a bit. Some of my makeup was wearing off but at least the bruising wasn’t as obvious. My face was still tender though.

“Is that from last night?” Elena asked as she came out of a stall and noticed my face in the mirror. Crap.

“Uh... yeah... I think I banged it on the nightstand or something.”

She walked over and was about to touch it when I moved away.

“It kind of hurts.”

“Wow. You’re lucky that’s all that happened.” She remarked.

“Yup.” I replied as Vicki walked back into the washroom.

“Tyler wants to know how long you’re going to be.” She replied, annoyed with his impatience.

“Tell him we’re setting up camp in here.” Elena joked and I laughed. She smiled.

“Not even 5 minutes.” I answered and she nodded, still smiling at Elena’s response, and left.

“Wow—he’s kind of a pain in the ass when we travel, huh?” Elena commented.

“I don’t think it’s that. I think it’s the fact Sam suggested an alternate route and it was an affront to his alpha-maleness.”

“I bet.” She laughed.

When we walked out he had his arms crossed.

“No more pit stops.” Tyler said. “So I suggest not buying any coffee or drinks.”

“Yes sir!” I replied with a salute and everyone laughed. He tried not to smile but abruptly left so he didn’t crack.

“I love how much fun you are.” Jeremy replied as we walked by him to go outside.

“It’s sporadic...” I replied. “But I try.”

When we were well on our way I got a text message from Bonnie.

_“I'm going to be in the area and I’ll meet you at the campsite.”_ That was unexpected but great.

“Awesome.” I commented excitedly.

“What?” Sam asked.

“Bonnie’s going to be in the area and she’s going to meet us there.”

“With her parents?” He asked.

“She didn’t say.” I replied. “But I seriously doubt it.”

“I bet Tyler would love it if they showed up too.” He replied. “Since he’s already broken a couple of rules your dad set out.”

“I don’t even want to think about that.” I shook my head.

“Me either.” He smiled and stared ahead.

I turned on the radio and leaned against him again but this time I didn’t fall asleep. We just quietly enjoyed each other’s company as we drove along. I sang along quietly to some of the songs that played and Sam grinned. I asked him to join me but he refused, although he encouraged me to continue. It was turning out to be a nice trip. It was peaceful... but the peace wasn’t to last.

A few hours down the road traffic slowed down, and then came to an abrupt stop.

“Shit.” Sam mumbled to himself.

“Oh crap.” I replied. “Tyler’s going to be pissed.”

“I wonder what’s going on.” Sam replied. My cell started ringing. I looked at it and it was Tyler. Damn it.

“Oh boy… here we go.” I mumbled before answering. “Um hey Tyler...” I replied nervously.

“Apparently there’s been a bad accident up ahead and they’re rerouting traffic.” He said, angrily. I looked at Sam.

“What?” Sam asked but I shook my head.

“Um... sorry?” I commented.

“So that brilliant plan to get there faster just backfired.” Tyler grumbled.

“It’s not our fault there was an accident.” I replied.

“Ah damn it.” Sam commented.

“From the looks of it—we’re going to be at least an hour or two later than my revised schedule after the new route.”

“I'm sorry, we didn’t know.” I answered and Sam took the phone from me.

“Look Tyler I'm sorry but it’s not like we planned this.”

“This was _your_ idea.” Tyler replied. “If you had just listened to me—we’d almost be there by now.”

“What do you want me to say? I can’t change the fact we have to take a detour because of an accident. I didn’t cause the accident.”

“Just follow us.” Tyler snapped.

“Fine.” Sam replied angrily and handed the phone back to me. “Jerk.” He mumbled.

“Tyler?” I asked.

“Don’t let us out of your sight.” He said sternly. “I need to figure out a way out of this mess.”

“Which means what?” I asked.

“A few back roads.” He replied.

“Will it save us time?”

“With any luck, hopefully.”

“Okay.” Click. He hung up and I put my phone away.

“So this is my fault.” Sam muttered.

“No it’s not.” I replied. “He’s just being weird about this.”

“He’s _being_ a jackass.”

“Okay—yes but he means well. He doesn’t want us driving at night.”

“Well neither do I.”

“Just follow him—he thinks he can find a few shortcuts.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been there before.” Suddenly Sam seemed very uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?”

“I just hate not knowing where we’re going.”

“But we have a map, a compass and you’re familiar with the area—it shouldn’t be too bad.”  
  


He didn’t reply. He was lost in thought and I was anxious because nobody liked sitting in a traffic jam. Finally, after what felt like hours when it was only probably about forty minutes, traffic began to move again. It wasn’t long until we were off the interstate and on a back road with the rest of the cars. At least we were behind Tyler and Matt.

A half hour up the road he made a right onto a different road and we continued to follow. He took a few different turns and twists throughout the practically deserted back woods until we saw a sign that indicated we were on the way to our destination but unfortunately it was getting darker and darker. Sam didn’t look happy.

My cell rang again and I answered it right away.

“We’re going to have to set up camp out here somewhere.” Tyler said dismally. “Or one of us will go off the road from lack of sleep.” He had a point.

“We’ll follow your lead.” I replied.

“The next clearing I see, we’re turning off.” He stated firmly.

“Okay.” I replied and he hung up without a reply.

“We’re going to have to camp out here somewhere, aren’t we?” Sam asked grimly.

“Yeah.”

“Damn it.” He mumbled.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

“You’re thinking about what your dad said?”

“Yeah...but hopefully we’ll be alright.”

“Hopefully? We’re going to be fine.”

He didn’t reply. We followed Tyler up the road for a bit and then pulled off to a remote rest stop that did have a restroom but I wasn’t sure it was kept up very well. Sam didn’t say anything. He simply got out of the truck and began lugging the camping equipment to the clearing. I don’t even think he took a breath. He began setting everything up.

“It’s a good thing we brought a cooler with food.” Elena replied.

“Really?” I asked as we watched the guys put up the tents.

“Yeah—Mom and Dad insisted. I kept everything in the fridge at the hotel and I made sure we had a lot of ice packs.”

“Awesome.” Vicki replied.

“Hopefully this is just for the night.” I replied.

“Of course it is—why wouldn’t it be?” Elena asked.

“I don’t know. It was just an errant thought.” I mumbled.

“You don’t have many errant thoughts.” Elena replied and Vicki arched her eyebrow. “You get weird feelings like Bonnie and they usually end up right.”

“The only feeling I have right now is what I sense from Tyler.” I replied. “He’s going to rake Sam over the coals for this.”

“It’s not his fault though.” Elena replied.

“Oh… I know.” I answered. “You’re preaching to the choir.”

“Guys are stupid more times than not.” Vicki commented.

“Agreed.” I nodded once.


	10. Camp Roadkill

When the tents were set up everyone started to relax a bit, except for Sam who walked around the parameter of the area as though he was our assigned security guard. Nobody but me really noticed though and when he finished he seemed to lighten up a bit. It also helped that the guys began throwing around a football and he took part. Jeremy couldn’t be bothered; he found a bunch of large rocks, wood and started a fire. While the guys played football we got the sleeping bags set up in the tents and then pulled the lawn chairs out so we could sit around the fire. That’s when the guys stopped playing football and sat in the chairs. We snacked on munchies, drank soda and sat around the campfire. I sat on Sam’s lap while Vicki and Tyler schmoozed across from us. Elena and Matt were cozy but she seemed a bit restrained, which I found odd. I thought they were dating. I knew she liked him and he was crazy about her but her body language said something more and I wasn’t sure why. Jeremy was listening to his headset and reading a book.

“Bonnie sent me a text saying she was in the area and is going to meet us at the campsite.” I stated.

“Oh good.” Elena smiled. “It doesn’t feel the same without her here.”

Jeremy’s countenance seemed to brighten a bit after my comment and I thought that was interesting. I smiled slightly and Sam looked at me curiously but I gently shook my head. We were all pretty quiet. After a long day in the car everyone just wanted to go to their tents and crash, of course not before I noticed Tyler remove a six pack from his cooler.

“Tyler.” I frowned.

“What?”

“Put it away.” I replied.

“What’s wrong with a beer?” He asked innocently.

“You’re underage.” I replied.

“We all are.” Matt answered.

“One isn’t going to hurt.” Tyler replied.

“You’re just going to have 1?” Sam asked in disbelief. Tyler didn’t answer.

“Whatever.” I mumbled. “Let’s crash.” I said to Sam.

“Fine by me.” He replied quietly.

“See you in the morning.” I stated and everyone nodded and then decided to go into their tents.

We didn’t hear much after that; at least initially. We had a small lamp on and had changed into our pyjamas when we heard it. Tyler and Vicki were going at it pretty heavy and they weren’t quiet.

“You have got to be kidding me!” I whispered, annoyed.

“Are you really surprised?” Sam asked.

“Guess not but I really don’t need to hear their live sex show.” I replied.

“I'm sure Matt doesn’t either... especially considering it’s his sister with Tyler.”

“Seriously?” Matt exclaimed loudly. “Keep it down!” We heard a loud sigh. “Like I want to hear my sister having sex. Ugh... sick.”

I tried not to laugh but he was right. They quieted down a bit after that but by that time Sam and I had to put our ear buds in to block out the sound. I shut off the small lamp, cuddled up to him, and began to drift off. He was already out like a light.

A few hours later I got a chill that woke me up from a sound sleep. I sat up and looked at Sam but he was still sleeping like the dead. It was warm in the tent but I couldn’t shake the chill. It got worse when I heard a few branches crack nearby. I sat straight up. I carefully got out of the sleeping bag, unzipped the tent and zipped it back up when I stepped outside. I got another chill and realized that it probably wasn’t a good idea to be wearing a thin shirt and shorts as pyjamas when you’re camping in the middle of nowhere where there is a cool breeze. I looked around. Everyone was sound asleep except me and sighed. I warily looked around the area. It was quiet, too quiet... dead quiet. I didn’t even hear any crickets or wildlife, which was a strange thing for being in a forested area. I almost felt like someone was watching me. I shivered from a late night breeze but I didn’t want to go back to the tent. I wandered over to the cars and peeked around them. There were footsteps in the dirt beside them but I knew they were ours. The breeze blew again but this time I caught the smell of something foul... it was powerful. So powerful that I began gagging and had to cover my nose. It smelled like something died. Good God, I hoped not.

“What are you doing?” Tyler startled me and I let out a little yelp.

“Aaah!”

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.” He looked around cautiously and then put his hand up to his nose. “What the hell is that smell? I feel like I'm going to hurl.”

“I don’t know but I'm getting out of the wind’s trajectory.” I walked away quickly.

He caught up to me and grabbed my arm.

“You’re worried about something.”

“I thought I heard something.” I looked around again and he followed my gaze.

“I can stay up and keep an eye out if you want?”

“Nah... you’re tired, besides I was probably just imagining it anyway.”

He looked down at me and his eyes lingered a bit too long over my form. I became uncomfortable. When he realized that he was making me self-conscious he shuffled his feet, walked me to the tent and smiled as I got inside. He zipped it up for me and I heard him walk off. Sam was still out but I didn’t mind. He was exhausted. I snuggled up beside him and tried to fall asleep. It took at least an hour but I finally passed out.

Tyler, however, sat in the chair right beside our tent, staring out into the darkness. Something felt off to him and he was on high alert. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and his sense of smell was heightened. When he caught an odd scent he stood up immediately. He wasn’t even sure what came over him but the hairs on his neck stood up, he clenched his fists, and a low growl came from his mouth. His eye colour turned yellow and for a moment he felt feral. The second he made that temporary transition whatever it was he sensed took off. He heard the sound of someone running away at a high speed. He returned to his normal state and then looked back at our tent. He wasn’t going anywhere now. He would stay up all night if he had to.

When we woke up the next morning it was still eerily quiet as the night before but at least nothing seemed out of place. Sam gently kissed my cheek.

“Good morning.” He whispered. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Pretty good.” I smiled. “You?”

“Better than I thought I would.”

We went outside and stretched. Everyone was wandering out of the tent at the same time we did. We had a few snacks to hold us over until we could get breakfast somewhere. While we freshened up the best we could in the poorly maintained bathrooms the guys were looking at the map and trying to figure out where we could get breakfast. Tyler was unusually quiet but calm.

“I just want to get the hell out of this area.” He said the guys eyed him curiously, especially Sam.

“Something wrong?” Sam asked.

“I got a weird vibe last night.” Tyler replied. “I can’t explain it but it felt like there’s something out there.”

Sam studied his response. Tyler wasn’t afraid but he was certainly suspicious and appeared ready for a fight.

“We’ll get going after breakfast.” Sam said calmly.

“Yeah, good idea.” Tyler nodded and looked around the area again.

Matt and Jeremy just looked at the two of them curiously but said nothing.

“There’s a town nearby.” Matt said and pointed to the map. “Elmwood.”

“Oh… and it’s not too far.” Jeremy added.

“Let’s try there.” Sam nodded. “But we shouldn’t linger.”

“What’s the hurry?” Jeremy asked.

“No, he’s right.” Tyler interjected. “We need to get on our way.”

“You’re agreeing with Sam?” Matt’s eyes bulged. “Since when?”

“Since I get a weird vibe that we’re not safe out here.”

“Seriously?” Jeremy asked. “Did something happen?”

Sam looked at Tyler expectantly but he looked around to make sure we weren’t nearby.

“Don’t say anything to the girls but I heard something last night and I got the feeling we’re being watched.”

“Is that why you were up so early this morning?” Jeremy asked.

“I didn’t sleep last night.” Tyler replied. “I stayed up to make sure everyone would be okay.”

“What?” Sam’s eyes were wide. “Why didn’t you wake one of us up? We could have taken shifts.”

“It’s fine—I was too worked up to settle down anyway.” Tyler replied.

“Thanks dude.” Matt patted his back.

“Let’s just get the hell out of here, okay?” Tyler commented and they nodded.

“Let’s not worry the girls though.” Matt said.

“Yeah, I agree.” Sam nodded and noticed us in the distance, walking back to the site. “I’m going to pack up a few things and put them in the truck.”

“Yeah, we’ll pack up some stuff too.” Tyler nodded.

Sam noticed on the map that Elmwood wasn’t that far away from Ambrose but he didn’t say anything. He did appreciate Tyler’s sense of urgency to leave though and it calmed him down a bit. He walked over to his truck.

We were chatting with each other on our way back to the site when I heard Sam’s angry voice as he vented.

“You have got to be freaking kidding me!” He yelled as he stared at the tires on his truck.

“What’s wrong?” Matt asked and walked over.

“Dude... how did you get a flat?” Tyler asked with a curious expression.

“No idea but I just had the tires replaced.” Sam answered.

“Huh. Tough break.” Jeremy commented. “Do you have a spare?”

“Yeah...” Sam replied.

We saw the guys gathered around Sam’s truck while he went to get the spare from the back. He began shuffling things around and got increasingly frustrated.

“What the hell?” He blurted.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“My spare tire is gone.” He said.

“You sure you had it with you?” Matt asked as he walked to the back of the truck.

“Yeah, I saw it last night when I pulled out the tent and sleeping bags.”

“Let me see if mine will work.” Matt said as he sauntered off toward his car.

“I’ll check too.” Tyler said as he walked toward his car. I walked over and stood beside Sam.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” He replied quietly and looked around the area suspiciously.

I looked at the tire. It wasn’t just low—it was flat. That was beyond conspicuous. Elena and Vicki put their stuff away. That’s when I looked him in the eye.

“So you just needed a new tire?” I asked.

“No.” He shook his head. “I made sure I gave the truck a good once over before even thinking about driving it on this trip, which is why I had the tires replaced.”

“Maybe the tire was faulty.” I whispered.

“Maybe.” He replied doubtfully.

Matt and Tyler came back carrying tires but when Sam looked at them he frowned.

“They’re too small... but thanks anyway.” Sam stated somberly.

“We could see if there is a garage in Elmwood.” Jeremy suggested.

“We could drive you there.” Elena suggested and Matt nodded in agreement.

“I don’t want to just leave my truck here though.”

We were in the middle of trying to figure it out when a breeze blew the heinous smell from the night before right into our path. We put our hands to our noses.

“What is that?” Matt asked.

“Ugh! I'm going to puke.” Vicki began gagging.

“It smells like something died.” Sam said with a frown.

“Must be something pretty big.” Tyler replied.

Sam didn’t say a word but he began to head into the forest toward the smell.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I want to see what it is.” He replied.

“Seriously?” Elena asked.

“You want to go toward the thing that smells like it died?” Tyler frowned.

Sam didn’t reply, he just kept walking and I decided to go after him. The others tagged along at a distance. I almost caught up to him when I tripped over a branch. Sam tried to catch me but missed my hand and the next thing you knew I went tumbling down a hill and landed almost right into the source of the putrid odour: roadkill. There had to be at least 20 different types of animals rotting at the bottom of the hill that looked like they were hit by cars but were pulled off the highway and for some reason piled there. I almost began vomiting. Sam quickly helped me up.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he looked at me and then at the dead carcasses.

“I feel like I'm going to be sick.”

“You’re not the only one.” Tyler remarked as him and Matt caught up to us.

“Ugh... that’s so gross.” Vicki commented from a distance. “I'm staying right here.”

“Me too.” Elena said.

“Well, at least we know where the smell is coming from.” Jeremy commented.

“I'm somewhat relieved.” I replied. “I have to say.”

“Me too.” Sam whispered.

I tried to get the dirt off my shirt but it was no use. I was filthy and I could’ve sworn my shirt now smelled like roadkill from my little tumble down the hill.

“Here...” Sam said as he pulled off his sweater and removed his undershirt. “Put this on.”

He blocked me from the others view while I removed my shirt and quickly put on his undershirt. I tossed my shirt on the ground.

“There’s no detergent in the world that will get that smell out.” I said.

Sam frowned at the dead animals. They were missing various parts. They weren’t just roadkill and when he stared a bit more intently it looked like they were partially eaten and having been used to hunting various creatures with his dad and brother and seeing different dead bodies—it was clear to him this wasn’t done by an animal.

“Let’s get out of here.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me up the hill.

The others followed and we walked back to the vehicles. He stared dismally at his truck and sighed. Tyler walked over to him.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Tyler asked and I arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah, sure.” Sam nodded and then looked at me. “I’ll be right back.”

“Everything okay?” I asked curiously.

“Yeah, we’re good.” Tyler insisted. “I just have to ask his opinion about something.”

“Since when are you two buddies?” I asked.

“We’re not—I think he can be an ass but we’ve come to an understanding.” Tyler quipped and Sam laughed.

“We’re fine, Nina.” Sam said.

“Okay.”

Tyler and Sam walked far enough away that nobody could hear them.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked.

“We need to get you a tire and then get the hell out of here now.” Tyler said urgently. “Those animals weren’t just roadkill. I don’t know if you noticed but they were missing parts. Who the hell just piles dead animal bodies up like that?”

“You’re not wrong.” Sam sighed.

“You believe me?”

“Yes. I’ve seen a lot on the job with my brother and dad. This isn’t normal.”

“And someone intentionally flattened your tire.” Tyler replied. “And took the spare.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Is this why you didn’t want to take the back roads?”

“Yeah.” Sam nodded.

“I’m sorry I was such a dickhead.”

“No, it’s okay—you didn’t know.”

“Well I know something is wrong now and I don’t want them around any of it.” Tyler replied.

“You don’t seem afraid.”

“I’m not. I’ll face whatever it is and go down fighting if I have to.”

“Same here.” Sam said. “But let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that.”

“I have a bad vibe; we need to get going and get out of here while it’s daylight.”

“You’re right.” Sam nodded. “Look, don’t say anything but I have weapons hidden in my truck in case we need them.”

“You do?”

“You encounter all kinds of things out in the woods; you have to be able to protect yourself.”

“What kind of weapons do you have?”

“Daggers, machetes, knives…” Sam said carefully.

“Jeezus, Sam. If the job is that dangerous why the hell do you do it?”

“To protect people.” Sam commented. “We do the jobs nobody else takes.”

“You know… you’re not the asshole I thought you were.” Tyler commented and Sam laughed.

“Yeah, likewise.” Sam nodded.

“Just don’t treat her like shit.” Tyler added. “Be good to her and I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Good.” Tyler nodded. “Now show me what you got.”

Sam and Tyler walked to the truck while the others talked amongst themselves. I eyed them curiously. It was odd that they were getting along but I got the sense they were in protective mode. I didn’t have any strange visions or feelings which was weird considering the night before when I had a creepy vibe in the middle of the night. At least I felt safe with Sam and Tyler around though.

“That’s kind of weird, right?” Elena commented to me as she watched Tyler and Sam at the truck.

“Yeah but they came to a truce.” I replied.

“Good thing too.” Vicky added once she overheard us. “I was getting sick of Tyler’s complaining.”

“We all were.” Elena laughed. “Trust me.”

Sam covertly handed Tyler an iron dagger that he could hide inside his coat.

“These look old…”

“It will work, don’t worry.” Sam replied.

“No, not old as in they will fall apart but old like ancient; something you’d get from an older relative.”

“They don’t make things like they used to.”

“That’s true.” Tyler nodded. “Are you good, do you have something to protect you?”

Sam opened his jacket to show a long silver machete strapped inside.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Sam nodded. “But don’t tell the girls. We don’t want them to get scared.”

“I hear you.” Tyler nodded. “But wow… that thing is huge.”

“Let’s hope I don’t have to use it.”

“Yeah, I hope we can just get breakfast and get the hell out of here.”

“Ditto.” Sam replied. “Now let’s look at the map.”

They walked back over to Matt and Jeremy while Tyler pulled the map out. We walked over to hear the plan.

“Well... we were going to make a pit stop for breakfast anyway... we’re still a couple of hours from the campsite but it looks like there is a town up the road about 20 miles.” Tyler said. “Jeremy mentioned it earlier.”

We looked at the map. There were two towns, actually. The closest one was Elmwood and the one after that was Ambrose. Sam brow furrowed.

“I'm sure Elmwood would have something.” Tyler stated. “And if not that town then Ambrose.”

“Uh-huh—no way.” Sam shook his head instantly.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“We’re not going to waste all our time going from one town to the next.” He replied carefully. “We should conserve gas. I'm sure Elmwood should do the trick.” Tyler saw Sam’s expression and got the hint.

“I’ll drive you.” Tyler suggested. “Vicki can stay here with the girls and we can go.”

“But we were going to get breakfast anyway.” Elena commented.

“Yeah but we can’t just leave our stuff here without anyone to watch over it.” Tyler replied.

“True.” Matt nodded. “And I there’s no freaking way I'm leaving the girls here alone in the middle of nowhere.”

“I’ll stay here.” Jeremy added. “That way there are two guys.”

“Good, yeah I like that idea.” Tyler nodded.

“Well I'm going.” I said. “I can pick up breakfast for all of us so that it won’t be a wasted trip.”

“What?” Tyler frowned.

“Good idea.” Vicki agreed.

“I don’t want you to come.” Sam replied. He seem oddly worried.

“Why not?” I asked.

“We can get breakfast.” He pointed to him and Tyler.

“Yeah, we’re good.” Tyler nodded.

“You two have to find a service centre to get the tire. I can get breakfast.” I replied. “Besides, I'm a big girl—I think I’ll be okay in a small diner.”

They knew they weren’t going to win that argument with me so they both nodded and we got in the car and headed in the direction of Elmwood.

It wasn’t long after we turned on the road to Elmwood that we noticed something odd up ahead. We were almost at the town but right in the middle of the road was a huge tree that blocked the entire way.

“Damn it.” Tyler mumbled. “We’ll have to go on foot from here.”

“Great.” Sam mumbled.

“It’s not that far.” I replied. “Look... you can see the buildings from here. It’s maybe fifteen minutes away.”

“I don’t like this.” Tyler mumbled to Sam who nodded covertly.

“Let’s just stick together.” Sam replied.

“Okay.”

We got out of the car and looked ahead. We didn’t have a choice. We were shit out of luck and we needed food and a tire. It’s not like we had any better options. Tyler locked up the car and began walking with us. He frowned but I didn’t know why. The two of them seemed to be suddenly on the same page but weren’t keeping me in the loop which was odd.

When we walked into town it was quiet. That same kind of creepy quiet that I felt from the night before and I didn’t like it. I got another shiver.

“You cold?” Tyler asked.

“No...” I replied and looked around.

“Just stick with one of us at all times, okay?” Sam whispered.

The stores were closed and there was nobody around. Not a single person.

“Is it just me or does this look like a ghost town?” Tyler commented.

“It’s not just you.” Sam replied grimly. He studied everything like he was Jason Bourne.

We heard something in the distance, music... which meant someone had to be around.

“That’s promising.” I replied.

“Hey… I think I see the service centre.” Tyler replied and began walking toward it.

We caught up to him but there wasn’t anyone inside. The door was open but nobody was around. I could still hear music in the distance and I began to walk toward the sound.

“Don’t wander off.” Sam said as he quickly walked over to me and grabbed my hand.

“If there is music, there are people...” I replied.

“You might as well follow her.” Tyler replied. “I’ll stay here in case someone comes back.” Sam nodded. “If you find an open diner get us some food because I'm starving.”

“Will do.” Sam said and ran to catch up with me.

I had rounded a corner and noticed the music was coming from a church. The closer I got the stranger I felt. Sam grabbed my arm just before I was about to walk inside.

“What are you doing?” He asked with a frown.

“Maybe someone in there can help us?” I asked.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this.” He replied. Huh.

Why didn’t I have a bad feeling? Was my radar off? Sam didn’t usually get bad feelings but I opened the door anyway and that’s when I felt like an idiot. There was casket at the front of the church and one person standing in front of it. He turned around to face me with a curious expression.

“I'm so sorry.” I replied and then left. I almost bumped into Sam on the way out.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Well there’s a reason why all the stores are closed.” I replied.

“Why?”

“There’s a funeral or some kind of celebration of life about to take place.”

“Damn.” He muttered. “Let’s go back to the service station.”

“Good idea.”

The door of the church opened and the same man who looked back at me during the service walked out. He didn’t seem impressed.

“I'm very sorry about interrupting. We’re in a bit of a bind. We need a tire and some food... if you have a diner.”

“I'm Dexter.” He said. “I shouldn't be too much longer, they're just going over service details."

"Oh, I didn't realize there was more than 1 person in there."

"The Pastor was in the back." He replied. 

"Oh."

"I should be able to help you if you can wait for a little bit.”

“That would be great.” I smiled.

“Yeah, thanks.” Sam replied warily.

I could tell by Sam’s expression that he didn’t want to stick around at all. I felt a bit uneasy but we couldn’t go anywhere without a tire and I was getting pretty hungry. Dexter walked back inside the church and I began walking back to the service station. Sam didn’t move.

“I don’t like this.” He commented. “We should leave, right away.”

“Sam—we’re stuck. You can’t just leave your truck out here and aside from a very small selection of snacks and two sandwiches we don’t have anything to eat and no real prospects for miles.” His hands were on his hips.

He finally relented and we walked back to the service station. As we approached we didn’t see Tyler anywhere.

“Where’s Tyler?” I asked and Sam frowned.

“I don’t know.” He replied and walked into the building. “Tyler?” He called but there was no answer.

“Hey... maybe he tried to find an open diner.” I answered. “He was pretty hungry.”

“Let’s go look for him.” Sam replied and I followed him.

Nothing was open. Every store was closed and the only diner in the entire town didn’t even look like it was still in business.

“That can’t be good.” I replied. “What the hell is with this place? Everything looks like it’s from the 50s and nothing is open.”

“We need to get out of this town.” He stated grimly.

“I'm with you on that.” I answered. “But we can’t leave without Tyler.”

“He’s got to be here somewhere.” He stated. “Let’s start checking every building that’s open.”

“You’re kidding right? Just walk inside uninvited?”

“Well Tyler didn’t just disappear—maybe he wandered into one of these places.”

We walked around and tried to open the stores but no luck. The only building that was open was a rundown movie theatre with a sign “Under Renovations” hanging on the door. We warily walked inside but again nothing, no sign of life, except us.

“I'm going to check around the side of the building.” He said.

I probably should have disagreed but I was starting to get worried about Tyler and I figured I should just stay put in case he showed up.

“Okay—I’ll stay here.”

He walked outside and I could see him through the windows around the side of the building. He waved and I smiled then he kept looking around and disappeared out of sight. I looked around the building and felt uneasy. I got another chill and I turned to look out the windows so I could see Sam but he wasn’t there. Suddenly someone else appeared in the window and it startled me. When I walked toward the window to get a closer look he quickly moved away. I couldn’t make out his face for some reason but I knew that I wasn’t staying one second longer in that building. I ran out the front and began calling Sam’s name, loudly. He ran around the corner and gently grabbed my arms. I was panicking.

“What’s wrong?”

“We have to get the hell out of here.” I commented. “I just saw someone else through the window.”

“I didn’t see anyone.”

“Doesn’t matter, we’re not staying.” I insisted.

“I never wanted to come here in the first place.” He said.

“Then let’s find Tyler and get out of here.”

“Agreed.”

We began to walk back through town again and that’s when we met up with Dexter from the church.

“I was just looking for you.” Dexter said.

“Oh... well we were looking for our friend.” I replied.

“Does he have short dark brown hair?”

“Yes... that’s him.” Sam replied.

“I met up with him on the other side of town; it looked like he was heading back to his car.” Sam frowned.

“He probably would have mentioned that to us.” Sam mumbled and I frowned.

"Said something about carrying the food back to the car. He had a lot of it in his hands."

"He found food? Nothing is open." 

"There's a small diner around the corner that's open. They must have helped him." He grinned.

“Oh..." I thought I saw someone near the theatre but he took off once I noticed him.” I looked behind me.

“Oh... that’s probably Ryan. He’s a bit skittish around strangers.” Dexter replied. That explained a lot. “Why don’t we go to the service station and see about a tire.” He said. We nodded.

We walked there and he opened the door and we followed inside. Sam told him what he needed and Dexter looked through the stacks of tires at back of the shop.

“Dang.” He said. “We don’t have anything close to that size.”

“Figures.” Sam said and I elbowed him.

“I might have a spare up at the house though.” Dexter answered. “I can take you there and you can check it out.”

“Sure.” I said but Sam seemed hesitant.

“You keep spare tires at your house?” Sam asked skeptically.

“Well yeah… I'm a mechanic so I store all kinds of auto parts there if I don’t have room here.” Dexter replied.

“Oh… you own this shop?” I asked.

“Sure do.” He smiled. I looked at Sam and he finally agreed.

“Okay, let’s see what you got.” Sam replied.

He walked over to his truck and opened the door for us. I got in and then Sam was right beside me. He drove us almost to the outskirts of the opposite side of town from where Tyler’s car was. He parked in the driveway and turned the truck off.

“I’ll check the garage first.” He said as we waited in the truck and watched him walk off.

We both looked at him with an odd expression. Sam and I must have been channeling the same vibe because we were uneasy and didn’t want to be there any longer than necessary. When Dexter walked back out he came up to the truck and shook his head.

“I don’t have anything in the garage but I might have something in the back porch of the house.”

“Okay…” Sam answered uneasily. Sam got out of the truck but stopped me just as I was about to. “Stay here.” He whispered.

“But...”

“No. I don’t want you coming inside.” He said quietly. “This just doesn’t feel right to me.”

“Then why are you going in?”

“Because if he does have a spare tire, I need it.”

He shut the door and walked up the steps to follow Dexter into the house. Dexter eyed me curiously but then opened the door and Sam followed him inside. Sam couldn't let me go inside. He knew that something was wrong and he wasn't going to put me in harm's way.

I couldn’t sit still. I was just too restless. I got out of the truck and began pacing back and forth. I kept checking my watch. After about fifteen minutes I decided I was going in. I snuck up the steps and crept into the house. It was so dimly lit that I felt like it was nighttime. One of the rooms had dark curtains to keep out the light but I wasn’t sure why. I heard the sound of footsteps upstairs but that was it.

“Sam?” I called out but no response, nothing. The footsteps stopped and that’s when my back got up. “Sam!” I raised my voice.

Still nothing. I heard one set of footsteps coming down the stairs but I ducked into a room to hide. It sounded like they walked in the opposite direction and that’s when I snuck out of the room and headed toward the stairs. Unfortunately the creaking of the floor behind me let me know I wasn’t alone. I turned to see Dexter facing me with a sly grin.

“Where’s Sam?” I asked.

“He’s using the facilities.” He lied. I could feel it.

“For 15 minutes?” I asked skeptically but he didn’t answer.

He walked toward me and I took a step back. That’s when I felt someone grab me from behind. Unluckily for him—my training kicked into overdrive and I maneuvered myself out of his grip and pulled him over my shoulders. It was Ryan, the guy I saw from the window. I gave him a few kicks to his side and he moaned. Dexter came running at me and I did some fast kicks and jabs which sent him flying to the floor. I took that opportunity to run upstairs to look for Sam. I rushed through each room and turned on the lights but I found nothing except archaic, creepy furniture and what looked like dust everywhere. There was one room at the end of the hall and I opened it. I turned on the light and that’s when I gasped. Tyler was out like a light and tied to a chair with duct tape over his mouth. But where was Sam? I was about to run over and untie Tyler when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I automatically turned around swinging but it was Sam and he ducked just in time. He was holding a large silver machete and motioned for me to be quiet. The door to the room was closed but I could hear footsteps down the hall. He pointed to the door on the other side of the room and I nodded. We walked very slowly and quietly, opened the door and got inside. It was a closet of some sort but it smelled musty. He pulled the door closed very slowly. Just in time to hear the door to the room open.

“Where are they?” A very deep voice asked. That had to be Ryan.

“They couldn’t have gone far.” Dexter replied. “They might have found one of the secret passages.”

“They’re different.” Ryan said. “Especially her.”

“I know. They’re not our usual catch.” Dexter said. _Catch_? “I think the tall one is a hunter.”

“You think so?” Ryan asked.

“Yes. He was far too aware of his surroundings for a regular person and the way he eluded me at the last minute... that takes skill.”

““He has a weird scent for a human.” Ryan said. 

“Come on... let’s go through the passages and find them.” Dexter said before they walked out.

We didn’t move an inch until we knew for sure they were gone and even then we didn’t open the closet door all the way. We peeked out to make sure they were gone. When we were satisfied we were in the clear we quietly walked out and shut the closet door.

“You’ve got to get Tyler out of here.” I whispered.

“We all have to get out of here.” Sam answered quietly.

“I can lead them away from you two.”

“You won’t be able to fight if you have to carry Tyler.” He didn’t look happy about the prospect of leaving me to fight.

“You know I’ve got skills.”

“No... we all leave, or we all stay.”

“Damn but you’re stubborn.” I whispered with a frown.

“Look who’s talking!” He whispered with a smile.

“Fine... hurry up and untie him before they figure out we’re still up here.”

Sam cut the bonds with his machete and then put it into some kind of holster which he hid inside his jacket. Then he picked up Tyler and carried him over his shoulder. We walked very carefully so as not to disturb the floorboards. Shockingly we made it down the hall, the stairs, and to the first floor without being detected. However, just as we made it halfway down the hall I saw Dexter walk out of the dungy living room and block the door. That’s when I heard the floorboards behind us creak. Sam turned to see Ryan standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“You didn’t think it was that easy, did you?” Dexter stated with a sinister smile.

Sam very carefully put Tyler on the floor, leaning him against the wall, and pulled out his machete.

“You didn’t think we were such an easy mark, did you?” Sam said with a furious expression.

“Initially we did but your girlfriend surprised us with her combat skills. What a fine match you make... although it’s a shame we have to kill you but we’re hungry. Animals aren’t as good as humans.”

“ _What_?” I asked, wide eyed.

“She doesn’t know?” Dexter smiled curiously. “You haven’t told her?” Sam didn’t answer. “This will be fun.”

At that moment they rushed us. Dexter lunged at me and Ryan went after Sam. Sam managed to slice his machete across Ryan’s abdomen and he let out a high pitch scream. Sam kept going after him but Ryan threw him against the wall and it knocked Sam to the floor and the machete out of his hand. Meanwhile I was able to dodge and deflect everything Dexter sent my way. He was getting angry though and I was worried about Sam. So I did a few quick kicks and sent Dexter flying off his feet and down the hall. I turned to see Ryan looming over Sam who was reaching for his machete. Ryan stepped on his hand and Sam moaned. I ran over and kicked Ryan in the back sending him flying against the stairs. Sam got up with the machete in his hand but his eyes widened.

“Behind you.” He yelled at me but it was too late.

Dexter had grabbed me, spun me around and literally threw me to the floor so hard that it knocked the wind out of me. Sam lunged at him with the machete but Dexter grabbed his wrist, smashed it against the wall, and knocked the machete out of his hand. Ryan got up and somewhat staggered over to Dexter. He was holding his abdomen. Dexter frowned at the sight and then put a hand at Sam’s throat. I stood up and faced them.

“Let him go.” I demanded as I glared at them. I picked up the machete which was only a couple of feet from me.

“I’ve never seen such determination in a human girl before.” Ryan commented.

“You have no idea.” I replied. “Now let him go before this gets any uglier.”

“Nina—don’t.” Sam squeaked.

“I’d listen to your boyfriend.” Dexter said. “We all know this won’t end well.”

“For you maybe.” I replied with a glare.

I gripped the machete and took an offensive stance. I wasn’t going to let them kill Sam or Tyler.

“Do you know what I am little girl?” He said condescendingly.

“I don’t give a shit _what_ you are—if you hurt Sam or Tyler... I’ll kill you both.”

They were so amazed at my spirit that it enabled Sam to kick Dexter hard in the abdomen and then shove Ryan out of the way.

“Nina get out of here!” He yelled.

“No.”

Dexter came at him again and Sam began using his own set of combat skills but Ryan was able to grab him from behind. I thought for a moment that he was going to snap Sam’s neck and I panicked. I yelled at the top of my lungs.

“No!!!!!”

At once the building shook and a strong wind blew into the hall and threw them all against the far wall by the stairs. I had no idea what happened but I ran over to them. They appeared to be unconscious. I shook Sam hard and it jolted him.

“What... what happened?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” I pulled on his sleeve as I looked at Dexter and Ryan who appeared to be out. “But we have to get out of here.”

He stood up and got his bearings, and then he picked up Tyler and put him over his shoulder again. He walked down the hall and opened the door. I was about to follow him out the door when I heard something behind me. That’s when I noticed that Dexter and Ryan got back up. Sam turned to face me and his eyes widened.

“Sam get Tyler out of here.”

“No!” Sam yelled but I pulled the door shut and I locked it so he couldn’t get back in.

“Get out of here!” I yelled through the door and faced my opponents.

“You’re no ordinary human.” Ryan said in a creepy, deep voice.

I gripped the machete and faced them offensively.

“I like this one.” Dexter said with a smile. “Maybe we could keep her for a while.”

“Like hell.” I replied.

They didn’t waste time. They rushed at me at once and I found myself acting like a ninja with kicks and jabs as I wielded the machete with shocking precision. When I was able to take a moment to breathe, Ryan was lying on the floor, his throat slashed open and oozing. Dexter had a few slices but I noticed he was much quicker than Ryan. He looked at Ryan mournfully and then up at me in awe. The moment wasn’t to last. In what felt like a blink he moved so fast that I couldn’t block his assault. He slammed me against the wall and this time everything went black.

When I came to I was tied to a weird chair and I couldn’t move.

“I can’t believe you killed Ryan.” He stated. “I might have forgiven your initial insolence but now you have to pay.” He reached his hand toward me. “But not before I have some fun.” He had a sinister smile and I felt sick. I pulled at the restraints. “You’re not going anywhere, ever again.”

He gripped my chin and I winced from the pain... that’s when it hit me—it was exactly what I dreamt about.

“You have a very unique scent.” His face was inches from mine and he was inhaling deeply. “What are you?” That’s when his eyes turned blue, bright blue.

“What am I?” I asked confused. “What the hell are you?”

“I’m the one who’s going to have you for dinner.” Damn it. A real life cannibal. I had the worst luck in the world.

I struggled with the restraints again but this time I felt some kind of heat from within. Seconds later I felt something leave my body and hit him hard enough that he flew against the wall and onto the floor. I pulled on the restraints desperately and thankfully one of my hands got free. I untied my other hand and then pulled the duct tape off my legs. As I ran out the door of the room I could hear him get up. I ran down the hall and then down the stairs. I could hear Dexter coming after me. I ran out the front door but instead of going toward the truck I went behind the house to the forest. I could at least get some kind of shelter there, or so I thought. It didn’t take long for him to come after me and I thought I was done for, until I almost ran into Bonnie.

“Bonnie? What the—hell? How did you know where to find me?”

“I used a spell.” She replied. We heard Dexter’s steps approaching. “Nina, get out of the way.”

I did what she said and I moved to the far side of where she was standing. Dexter ran after us but she stretched out her arm and angled her right palm toward him. I felt something emanate from her and I saw the furious expression on her face as he fell to his knees. He convulsed for a few minutes and then let out a loud shriek before collapsing on the ground, completely immobile, and most likely dead. I stood there in shock, staring at the sight.

“Omigod— _did you_... did you just use magic to kill him?” My eyes bulged.

“Yes and I’ll explain later but for now let’s get the hell out of here. Everyone is worried about you.”

“I told Sam to get Tyler out of here.”

“He did and he tried to come back and get you but he couldn’t get into the house.”

“I locked the door.”

“Why did you do that?” She frowned.

“To keep him safe.” I replied.

“You’re nuts but I love you.” She sighed and gave me a hug. “We’ll discuss that later. Let’s go. We don’t know if others will come looking for them. Right now we’re okay but we have to get out of here.”

I pulled away for a moment but she frowned.

“You’re bleeding.” She reached around and touched the back of my head. I winced.

“That must be what knocked me out.”

“You need a hospital.” She said. “Let’s hurry.”

“We don’t have a way out of here.”

“Yes we do.” She said. “I found a shortcut.”

She motioned for me to follow her deeper into the forest. I didn’t move.

“We’ll be safe. I promise.”

“Okay...”

After walking for about 40 minutes we finally came upon the clearing where our campsite was. Everything was packed up and put away.

“Nina!” Sam yelled and ran over. He hugged me and I winced. “You’re bleeding!”

“She needs to go to the hospital.” Bonnie said.

“I'm fine.” I said and I then I staggered.

“Sure you are... or maybe you’re drunk.” Matt said and I smiled.

“Let’s get going.” Vicki said. “This place give me the creeps.”

“You’re preaching to the choir.” Elena replied.

“But wait... Sam still needs a tire.” I interrupted.

“Uh—nope. I bought him one.” Bonnie said.

“What?”

“When I called to tell Elena I was on my way she mentioned that you went into town to get a spare tire, so I decided to pick one up, just in case.”

“Where’s Tyler?” I asked, looking around.

“He’s still out but he’s fine.” Jeremy said. “We put him in the backseat of his car.”

“Is everyone else okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, we are.” Elena said and Vicki nodded.

They began to walk to the cars but I grabbed Bonnie’s arm. Sam noticed and knew that I wanted to speak to her, alone. He gave us some distance.

“How do we know we’re there aren’t others?”

“I made sure... but they did leave someone behind.”

“They did?” My eyes widened.

“When I got here, Elena, Matt and Jeremy were unconscious on the ground and Vicki was being carried back to a truck.”

“You stopped him?” I asked.

“Yeah but I can’t say that he’s still alive.” She replied, without remorse.

“Doesn’t matter, we’re safe.” I replied.

“Did you know this was going to happen?” I asked.

“I saw bits and pieces.” She said.

“I had a dream but it seemed too ridiculous for it to be real.” I replied.

“You need to trust those natural instincts of yours. They’ll save your life.” She was right.

“Does anyone know what really happened?” I asked warily.

“Only Sam. The rest think someone jumped them and knocked them out.” She looked at them. “They’re not ready for the truth.”

“But you think Sam is?” I asked curiously.

“Sam knows a lot more than he divulges.” She said hesitantly. “But it was to keep you safe.”

“So he kept secrets to keep me safe?”

“Yes and that’s not a bad thing. There are some things we’re not ready to hear, believe me.”

“I guess so... the guy said he was going to have me for dinner. I’ve never met a real life cannibal before.”

“I can’t even imagine what it was like to face him or his twisted comrade.”

“Freaky but hey... at least I know that the training has paid off.” I grinned slightly.

“Good thing too or you’d be dead.”

“Yeah really.

There was something sobering about realizing that you just cheated death. That if not for some weird twist of fate you were staring down the barrel of a gun, so to speak, and could have died. It impacted me in a profound way. 

“How did you find me?” I asked.

“I used a spell and it traced your location with a path of fire.”

“Fire?”

“Yeah.”

“It didn’t burn the forest?”

“No, it was contained through the spell and once I figured out where you were it died out the moment I found you.”

“Wow.”

“I used a spell to rouse everyone but I didn’t let on that I had anything to do with it.”

“I won’t say anything.” I replied. “Does Sam know?”

“I think he realizes I'm different but that I can be trusted.”

“After what we faced tonight—I doubt he’ll ever see you as a threat.” Sam looked back at us. “I guess we better go.”

I caught up with him looked up into his eyes and he was upset, very upset.

“Sam—it’s okay.” I replied.

“No, it isn’t.”

“None of this is your fault.”

“You could’ve been killed tonight and I know more happened than you’re willing to tell me because I can read you like a book.” He replied.

“But I'm fine.”

“No, you’re not. You need to see a doctor.” He looked at my head. “To make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

Once we looked at the map and determined where the nearest, safe, town was, we loaded into the vehicles and decided on a direct path that led straight to the interstate and found the nearest city in the opposite direction that had a hospital. As I was just about to get into the truck… I became faint and everything went black. Matt happened to be near me and caught me before I hit the ground. He picked me up and put me into Sam’s truck.


	11. The Break Up

I needed ten stitches and they wanted to keep me overnight for observation so Sam decided to stay with me while the rest of them went out to get something to eat since we hadn’t really eaten anything the entire day and it was well past dinner time. They brought me something as well which was a good thing because my stomach was cramping so bad from hunger pangs that I was in a lot of pain.

After we ate and visiting hours were over they told me they were staying at a hotel nearby. Sam didn’t leave the room and since it was a private room anyway the nurses didn’t care if he spent the night looking after me. As I leaned against the propped up pillows he pulled up a chair right beside me and held my hand. I ended up falling asleep like that and didn’t wake up until the next morning.

When my eyes finally opened Sam was still holding onto my hand while his free arm supported his head as he leaned on the bed, sleeping soundly. When he felt me move he immediately opened his eyes.

“Hey.” He said, forcing a smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than I expected to.” I replied. “How’s Tyler?”

“He’s fine. I thought he would need stitches but he only had a small bump.”

“They hit him on the head too?”

“Yeah with a crowbar.”

“With a crowbar?” My eyes bulged. “Then how the hell didn’t he have stitches?”

“Beats me.” Sam replied. “But I’m glad he’s okay.”

“You two were on the same page yesterday.” I grinned slightly.

“Yeah.” He said quietly but had a sad look in his eyes again. “You were so lucky.”

“Sam, you forget I'm not helpless. I gave those freak shows a run for their money.”

“I know, I saw... but you’re not a superhero and you can’t be in a hundred different places at once.”

“You’re blaming yourself for this, aren’t you?” He didn’t reply. “You’re the one who didn’t want to camp in the area to begin with. Everyone knew it and you did your best to avoid it altogether.”

“A lot of good that did.”

“Like you knew there was going to be a car accident.” I replied and rolled my eyes. “Come on, give yourself a break.”

“I should’ve known something would happen.” He replied, filled with guilt.

“Why?”

“Because something always does.” He muttered.

“You’re too hard on yourself.”

“No, I'm being honest with myself for once.”

“Meaning what exactly?”

“Every time I think we can have an uncomplicated, happy future—you get attacked.” He sighed.

“You’re acting like you’re directly responsible for what happened but you’re not.”

“I feel like just being with me puts a target on your back.”

“That’s not true.”

“It feels like it.”

“Don’t do that... don’t you dare start making excuses why we can’t be together.” I replied.

“I'm not making excuses.”

“Then what the hell are you doing?” I was angry. “You promised you wouldn’t bail on me again. Remember that? You gave me your word that you would make things work.”

“That was before you got attacked _again_.”

“Sam, sometimes life just sucks but it doesn’t mean it’s your fault. It’s just life and if you keep running away when things get hard you’ll be running for the rest of your life.”

“I'm not running.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I'm trying to see this from another perspective.”

“What perspective?”

“An unselfish one.”

“You’re not selfish.”

“If I think about how amazing you are and what’s best for you—the truth is... it isn’t me.” He said grimly.

“That’s a hell of a thing to say to me.” I crossed my arms. “First of all who do you think you are telling me what’s best for me? I make those choices—not you.”

“What if your judgement is clouded?”

“Really... so the fact that I love this amazing, sweet, funny, loyal, intelligent, protective guy—is just a distortion of who you really are? I'm imagining all these traits about you? I’ve fantasized about my ideal mate and developed him out of thin air? You’re not actually real?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what _do_ you mean?”

“When you love someone you tend to see things in a different light. There may be things that you overlook because you want to see the best in that person.”

“So what have I overlooked then?”

“I'm not good for you and I put a target on your back.”

“That is total bullshit.”

“If we base it on facts alone the statistics prove me right.” Ugh! Damn it.

“Do you forget that I was with Tyler during one of those attacks?”

“No but I was still in the vicinity.”

“So you think you’re a walking, talking, hex bag and that when I hang out with you it’s inevitable that bad things will happen to me.”

“I just know that as hard as it is for us to not be together you seem so much better off and safer.”

I hit him with my pillow.

“Get the hell out of my room!” I snapped.

“What?”

“I know where this is going... I can see the end credits of this movie and I just don’t feel like hearing you say those damned words again.”

I shook my head as the tears fell down my face. He put a hand on my arm but I shook it off.

“Just go. You’ve already made your decision and obviously there’s nothing I can say that will make you change your mind.”

“I don’t want to do this.”

“Uh-huh...I’ve heard that before.” I wiped the tears from my face.

“I'm serious.”

“Then _why_ are you doing this?”

“I can’t live with myself if you died.”

“Who the hell said anything about that?”

“Hello—remember last night?” I bit my lower lip. “I love you enough to let you go and have a happy, normal life.”

“Get out!”

“Nina…”

“GET OUT!” I yelled and he mournfully nodded his head and left the room.

Only seconds later Elena and Tyler came running in.

“What’s wrong?” Elena said but Tyler saw my face and the tears.

“Why don’t you see if you can find Bonnie?” Tyler said. “I think Nina needs to talk to her.”

“Sure... yeah... okay...” Elena replied hesitantly. “I think she’s in the cafeteria with Matt, Jeremy and Vicki getting something for her to eat.”

When she left the room Tyler sat on the bed and held my hand.

  
“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” I replied quietly, tears still streaming down my face.

“Does it have to do with Sam?” He looked into my eyes and I nodded once. “Can I kick his ass?”

“No.” I mumbled and smiled slightly.

“Just checking.” He grinned and it made me laugh.

10 minutes later Elena walked back in with Bonnie, Jeremy, Vicki and Matt who was holding a tray of food for me.

“Are you okay?” Matt asked when he saw my face. He put the tray on the nightstand beside me.

“I think I'm in shock over what happened.” I mumbled.

“I think we all are.” Tyler replied.

Bonnie looked at me. I looked her in the eye and I could tell she already knew. I'm not sure how much she saw but I was certain she caught the ending.

“I know it seems overwhelming right now but things will get better.” She said absolutely.

“You’re certain?”

“I am.” She smiled.

“We are too.” Matt said as Elena, Vicki, Jeremy and Tyler agreed.

“Does my dad know?” I asked, warily.

“Sam called him last night while you were sleeping and filled him in.” Bonnie said.

“I bet he’s pissed.”

“He’s worried and he is on the way here.” Elena said.

“I hope he doesn’t do anything stupid.” I said.

“He’s only going to get you and take you home.” Tyler said.

“You talked to him?” I asked.

“Yeah... I wanted to make sure he knew we were all okay.”

“But you don’t remember what happened.” I frowned.

“None of us do.” Elena replied.

Sam knew more than they did but only Bonnie and I knew what really happened to Dexter. There was no sense freaking the rest of them out.

“So what could you possibly say to appease him?”

“He minimized the severity of what happened.” Bonnie said.

“How?”

“Just that we ran into some shady characters on the way to our campsite and they jumped us.” Tyler said.

“Oh and how your ninja moves saved us.” Matt added as he and Bonnie chuckled.

For some reason that made me laugh and they joined in. But after a moment the reality of everything sunk in and I felt guilty.

“Tyler, I'm sorry we ruined the camping trip.” I mumbled and he gave me a confused expression, actually they all did.

“You didn’t ruin anything and though I hate to admit it, neither did Sam. His suggestion of using the interstate was a good idea. Obviously we shouldn’t have taken the route that led us near Elmwood but it’s not like anyone knew there would be an accident on the interstate which would cause a detour.”

“Too bad Sam couldn’t hear you say that.” I replied.

“Why? He thinks it’s his fault?” Matt asked.

“Pretty much.” I replied.

“That’s crazy.” Elena commented.

“He’s one of the reasons you made it out of there.” Jeremy added.

“He’s definitely the reason why Tyler made it out of there.” Vicki remarked.

“She’s right.” Tyler nodded.

“Hey—you’re preaching to the choir. It’s not me that needs convincing.” I mumbled.

“I can call him if you want.” Tyler offered.

“Doesn’t matter now.” I frowned.

“Why the hell not?” Matt asked.

“He left.” Bonnie said grimly.

“Are you serious?” Elena frowned. Bonnie shook her head.

“There’s a lot going on.” Bonnie said.

“Maybe so but you don’t just up and leave your girlfriend in the hospital after she was attacked.” Matt was pissed.

Shockingly Tyler didn’t respond and that was curious.

“He’s feeling guilty.” Bonnie added.

“For what?”

“He blames himself for what happened.” Tyler replied. “Think about it—in his mind the interstate was his idea and the accident cost us time that could’ve spent getting to the campsite on time instead of having to set up camp near Elmwood.” I didn’t answer. “And with what happened he can barely look at Nina because of it.” Wow. He definitely knew the truth.

“Am I the only one here who notices how overprotective he is of her? Not in a creepy boyfriend way but in a ‘ _paranoid that something might happen to my girlfriend_ ’ kind of way?” Vicki asked.

“Nope, you’re not.” Tyler replied.

“Did you see him check out the area when we set up camp?” Jeremy added. “It’s almost like he expected something to happen.”

“He didn’t.” Bonnie replied.

“But he was dead set against stopping anywhere near there.” Matt said. “Maybe he had a bad vibe or something—like you did later on Ty.”

“Yeah, I should have listened to him. I apologized later on for being a dick about it.”

“I’m glad.” I smiled slightly.

“But he seemed to calm down after he checked out the area; once we got there.” Elena commented.

“I just don’t get how he can blame himself though. He did everything he could, we all did.” Vicki said.

“I saw the look on his face when he was talking to Nina’s dad on his cell phone and also when he brought her in—he totally blames himself.” Tyler said.

“Then we have to convince him it isn’t.” Matt said.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” I replied.

The room went quiet but not for long. Dad and John walked into the room.

“Let’s give Nina some time with her dad.” Bonnie stated and everyone agreed and left the room.

John gently touched my arm.

“How you doing?” John asked.

“I'm fine.” I replied.

“Sam told me what happened and then I spoke to Tyler.” Dad said.

“It’s not his fault.” I replied firmly.

“I didn’t say it was.” Dad replied.

“Well for some reason he blames himself for everything.” I replied.

“It didn’t come from us.” Dad answered.

“I'm sure he did everything he could to help you.” John added.

“He only ever has.” I answered glumly.

They noticed my countenance and arched an eyebrow.

“Am I missing something?” Dad asked.

“What’s wrong?” John asked.

“Sam thinks he puts a target on my back so he should stay away from me.”

“I know how he feels.” John replied.

“Me too.” Dad added.

“Then talk some sense into him.” I replied. “It’s not his fault I’ve been attacked. The world is a dark place sometimes and you can’t control what some nut job is going to do but for some reason Sam thinks he has a dark cloud following him.” John looked at Dad.

“We’ll see what we can do.” Dad replied. “But I think you know that guys can be stubborn and there’s no guarantee it will change his mind.” A tear fell down my face.

“For what it’s worth... it seemed like he cared about you, a lot—based on what your dad said.” John replied.

“But not enough.” I said. “If we can’t face adversity together then what’s the point?”

“Guys do stupid things when they’re scared but it doesn’t mean they don’t care.” John said.

“I told him off.” I replied.

“You did?” Dad was surprised to hear it.

“Yeah. I got mad at him because he promised to make this work between us. He said he wouldn’t bail on me again but then bam—he changed his mind. Maybe his dad hates me or something. I know he wasn’t happy we were together.”

“I highly doubt that.” John said.

“Well he was pissed that Sam wanted to go to college with me.” I replied.

“I think it was less about you and more about him.” John answered.

“Sam?” I asked.

“No, his dad.” Dad answered.

“How so?”

“Your dad mentioned that Sam’s mother died when he was a baby.” John commented. My eyes widened.

“How do you know that?” I looked at Dad. “I never told you.”

“Sam told me.” Dad said. “He said it was one of the reasons why he was so protective of you.”

“Anyway...” John interrupted. “I'm sure the dad carried a lot of guilt because of his wife’s death and he wanted to keep his family close so nothing happened to them.”

“So you think his dad was opposed to Sam going his own way because he was worried about him?”

“Yeah. It’s what I’d do.” John replied. “If I lost my wife under those circumstances I’d do everything I could to protect my kids; even if my actions didn’t make sense to them.”

“Because you’re afraid of losing them?” I asked.

“Exactly.” Dad replied.

“Well... Sam’s a big boy and he’s responsible for his own decisions. Pushing someone away is a crappy way to show you care.”

“I think considering everything, he never learned how to care.” John replied.

“For the most part he did.” I answered.

“But when you faced danger it scared him.” Dad replied. “And it obviously triggered something.” I sighed.

“I'm done talking about this.” I replied, exhausted.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Dad asked.

There was no way I was telling them the truth about what I saw.

“Tyler said some shady characters followed you and jumped you.” Dad began.

“They tried to rip us off and I guess they didn’t like getting their ass kicked by a girl.”

They smiled and then composed themselves.

“Nobody remembers much of anything.” John remarked.

“Yeah... it’s weird.” I replied.

“What about Bonnie?” Dad asked. “The guys say she helped them.”

“She knows a lot of herbal remedies which is how they ended up okay.” _Please buy that._

“How did she know where you were?” John asked.

“She tracked the GPS on my phone.”

“Smart girl.” John commented.

“So... this town, _Elmwood_...what do you know about it?” Dad asked warily.

“It was like a ghost town, there were only a couple of guys there.” I answered.

“The ones who tried to rip you off?” John asked.

“Yeah.” I answered. “See... Sam’s truck had a flat and nobody had a spare that would fit.”

“That’s weird.” John commented. “What about Sam?”

“He said he had one but the thinks those guys took it.” I replied. “So we had no choice but to find a service centre. The crazy thing about all of this is that Sam convinced us to take the interstate the entire way—which Tyler hated by the way—but he said it was safer to be on the interstate than in an unfamiliar back road.”

“He’s right.” Dad said.

“There was an accident on the interstate and we had no choice but to use a detour and ended up in the back roads anyway.”

“The main thing is that you’re safe.” Dad said.

“But never the same.” I commented grimly.

“What?” John asked when he heard my remark.

“I almost feel jaded now.” I answered. “Like I can’t trust anyone but you and my friends.”

“That’s not jaded.” Dad said. “That’s just being cautious and since the world is getting darker by the minute it’s not such a bad idea to be that way.”

“I should apologize to Sam.” I said, out of the blue.

“Why?” Dad asked.

“Because I was angry and I yelled at him.” I replied.

“With good reason.” Dad answered.

“Here we go...” I commented with a sigh.

“No... your dad’s right. We understand why he did what he did but he had piss poor timing.” John said.

“You don’t dump a girl in the hospital the morning after she survived a vicious attack.” Dad added.

“Not to mention you saved his ass.” John commented.

“Are we done yet?” I asked.

“Yeah.” John nodded with a slight smile.

“You get some rest.” Dad said. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Once the doctor was confident I was alright he released me. I said bye to my friends and went home with Dad and John. I sat in the backseat with my bags from the camping trip and my purse. I pulled out my cell and there was a text message from Sam.

_“For what it’s worth I really am sorry. You have every right to be pissed with me but know that I do love you and the last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you. You deserve better than that.”_

I wanted to call him right away but not when Dad and John could overhear everything. Instead I replied to his text message with a lengthy one of my own.

_“I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm just frustrated that you’re too hard on yourself and seem to take the blame for everything. Even Tyler said he’d call you to let you know that what happened wasn’t your fault. For some reason you back off when we face something traumatic. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s fear, maybe the incident triggers bad memories… whatever the reason you keep pushing away the 1 person who knows and understands you. I accept you for who you are but you don’t trust me enough to let me see every facet of your life. Maybe you think if I knew the truth I’d push you away. If you really knew me then you’d know I wouldn’t ever do that. But... we’ve had this conversation before and it seems like we end up at the same crossroads. I can’t keep arguing the same points over and over. The bottom line is that you have to make a choice. Either you’re going to be in my life or not. You can’t keep going back and forth, thereby putting my heart on a bungee cord and letting it drop when you get scared. It’s either a yes or no, you’re in or out but you can’t be on the fence. Not anymore. We both deserve better than that and truth be told, whether you admit it or not, I know you want more than that.”_

It was the longest text message I’d ever sent but I didn’t want to wait 2 days until I got home before I sent him a response to his email or tried to call him. I wanted to make sure he got it right away. I was hoping for a favourable response like the last time, especially since I was positive that Tyler would call him. I was certain that would impact him if the guy who had opposed him all along actually tried to encourage him to be with me. Ironically, as if on cue, my cell began to ring and it was Tyler.

“Go ahead and answer it. We’ll tune you out.” Dad said.

“Hey Ty.” I answered.

“How you feeling?”

“I'm okay… still a bit groggy but otherwise good.”

“No, I meant... about things.” He said.

“Oh... well I’ve had better days.”

“They’re right there aren’t they?”

“Who?”

“Your dad and John?”

“Oh... um... yeah.”

“I just wanted to tell you that I called Sam.”

“What? When?”

“A few hours ago.” He said. “I told him that he carried too much guilt about what happened and that it wasn’t his fault. We could’ve been a different bunch of people and ended up way worse off.”

“That was nice of you.” I replied.

“Well... I owe him. Everyone said he’s the one who saved my ass.”

“He is.”

“I don’t forget things like that.”

“Neither do I.”

“Which is why I told him not to push you away.” Whoa!

“Excuse me?” I asked, shocked.

“You heard me.” He said. “I know exactly what he’s doing. It’s a guy thing. I said I got that he was freaked out about what happened but it had nothing to do with you or him and I told him not to let it drive a wedge between you.” Holy crap.

“Wow.” I was speechless.

I never pictured Tyler encouraging Sam to be with me. It must have hurt him to even get the words out.

“Now don’t go telling everyone what I said.”

“I won’t.”

“Because it makes me look like a wuss.”

“No it doesn’t.”

“Whatever—just don’t let it get out.”

“Deal.”

“I already made sure he knows that as well.”

“Okay.”

“I know you can’t really talk with them pretending not to listen but actually taking in every word you say... so I’ll call you when you’re back.”

“Sure thing.”

“Hey.” He said.

“Yeah?”

“Chin up. It will get better.”

“Thanks.”

He ended the call and I put my cell away.

“How’s Tyler doing?” Dad asked.

“Good.” I replied quietly.

“What did he want?” John asked.

“He wanted me to know that he thanked Sam.”

“What?” Dad asked in disbelief.

“Sam helped him out when we got jumped by those idiots and he was grateful.”

“Huh.” Dad mumbled. “Never thought I’d see a day when Tyler would be anything but civil to him.”

“I guess it takes a catastrophe for people who don’t even like each other to band together.”

“Sure does.” John commented.

“Tyler’s loyal. He doesn’t forget things like that.”

“Neither do I.” Dad said.

“Nor I.” John agreed.

“Or me.” I replied. “But anyway... he also wanted to make sure I was okay.”

“Is that all?” Dad asked.

“And to tell me he called Sam.”

“I like that kid.” John remarked.

“Yeah, me too.” Dad added. Me three but they already knew that and I didn’t need to voice it.

Instead of staying over at a motel somewhere halfway through our trip home, John and Dad took shifts so we could drive straight through. Of course they had pit stops along the way but not for long. We usually ate on the road. I didn’t see why we couldn’t just take 20 minutes here and there so we could eat inside one of the restaurants for a change but it seemed like they were in a hurry. I didn’t dispute it; I only went along for the ride; slept in the back and hoped that Sam would call or text me back. He didn’t.

When we got back to my place John grabbed my stuff and carried it inside. My legs were stiff so I stretched for a few minutes before moving. Dad went next door to get the twins who, once they got a glimpse of me, immediately ran over and practically tackled me.

“We’re so glad you’re safe.” Arielle commented as she gripped me tightly.

“We were so worried.” Andrew added.

“I'm fine, I had people help me out.” I replied, brushing it off.

“Bonnie and Sam, right?” Arielle said.

It was apparent that I wasn’t the only one who got glimpses of things. It was clear she had an idea of what we faced. I just hoped to God that she didn’t get the full picture.

When the twins had finally let go of me they each held one of my hands as we walked into the house.

“I’ll go get us something to eat.” John said.

“Don’t you have to touch base with your sons?” I asked curiously.

“I did that when you slept in the car.” He smiled.

“Oh.”

“I’ll be back in a little while.” He said as Dad threw him the car keys.

Once the twins were convinced that I wasn’t going to disappear they allowed me to drag everything up to my room and when I finished I started to do a load of laundry. I checked my phone but nothing. No response from Sam. I decided to check my email after staring at the blank monitor for 10 minutes but there were no new messages. He was probably considering everything I wrote. It was another ultimatum and it was in a much harsher tone than the last one. I didn’t think he’d be offended but he had a tendency to overanalyze everything and given the frame of mind I was in when I wrote it I knew he’d put himself in my shoes. Sam was probably the most considerate guy I knew, so his response would more than likely be a lengthy one. He wasn’t abrupt or cold, it just wasn’t like him.

John had just picked up takeout for us and was walking toward the car when his cell rang.

“John speaking.” He answered when he didn’t recognize the number.

“I don’t want to hear _I told you so._ ” Sam said in an annoyed voice.

John put the takeout onto the front seat of the car and then closed the door, prepared that he might be on the phone for a little while.

“Got it.” John replied.

“You win.” Sam answered bitterly.

“This wasn’t about me winning, it was about her safety.”

“Fine. You’re right—I'm wrong, _as usual_. Obviously she can’t be with me without having some kind of target on her back... but for the record she’s not just some helpless girl.”

“Never said she was.” John replied.

“She’s the reason that we got out of there alive. She went head to head with two revenants and came out on top.”

“But not unscathed.” John replied.

“That wasn’t my fault either.” Sam answered. “She wouldn’t let me back inside to help her.”

“Never said it was your fault.” John said and then paused. “How did she make it out?” Sam took a deep breath.

“I think Bonnie had something to do with it. I'm pretty sure she’s a witch or something.”

“She is a witch, a Bennett one at that.” John replied.

“Holy crap.” Sam exclaimed. “She’s a _Bennett_ witch?”

“Yes and just so you know, Tyler has the werewolf gene. It’s been passed down to him by his father.”

“Excuse me?” Sam got angry.

“Relax... it’s not what you think. We’ve checked it out and the family isn’t your typical werewolf clan. They’re nothing like what we’ve run into.”

“So they’re what? Nice monsters?” Sam replied sarcastically.

“First of all Tyler doesn’t even know he has the gene; he hasn’t made the transition.”

“Yet...” Sam interrupted.

“Secondly...” John interrupted Sam to finish his point. “The family has a hidden cavern on their property where they chain themselves up in seclusion so they don’t attack anyone.”

“Huh.” Sam replied. “That’s a new one.” He paused. “Why are you telling me any of this?”

“Because I don’t want you to worry about her.” John replied. “Between the Bennett witch and the Lockwood boy—she’s well protected.”

“But ignorant of what they really are.” Sam answered bitterly.

“She didn’t know the whole truth about you, did she?” John asked but Sam didn’t reply. “Besides, it’s not our responsibility to tell her about them. She’s safe, they care about her—case closed. If they were a threat, we’d be having a very different conversation right now.”

“I still don’t get why you’re telling me this now? To rub salt in the wound?”

“No. It’s so you can let her go and know she’ll be protected. She’ll be fine.”

“Yeah... doesn’t matter that it will hurt like hell for the both of us.” Sam retorted. “Doesn’t matter that I’ll be the bad guy who broke his word and her heart—for the 10th time—and dumped her, _again_.”

“I know it sucks but if you really love her you’ll do what’s best for her.” John said, carefully. “Hurting her now so she stays safe and healthy is better than keeping a promise which gets her killed in the long run.”

“Ugh.” Sam muttered. He knew his dad was right.

“I'm not saying it’s easy and I won’t pretend it’s fair but life’s not fair. Sometimes good people die or get screwed over while it seems like the evil monsters in this world rule everything. It sucks and it means we have to make the hard choices, to give up what we want, so others can live but in the long run it will be worth it.”

“Will it?” Sam asked sadly.

“If it means we save lives, yes.” John replied.

Sam quickly ended the conversation after that. He mulled over everything his dad said. With a heavy heart he knew what he had to do; he just hoped that I would forgive him someday. His eyes glistened for a moment but he quickly brushed it off. He pulled out one of my pictures and looked over it for a few minutes before hiding it in his wallet when Dean walked into the room. Dean was preoccupied with something else though so he didn’t pay much attention to Sam, who stared at his laptop for what seemed like hours when it was probably only just a matter of minutes.

He must have tried to send an email about a hundred times but he would just sit there and stare at the blank document, unable to type those dreaded words that he knew would tear my heart out. Meanwhile I stayed sequestered in my room barely eating, checking my email and my voicemail at least a dozen times a day. Whoever said _no news is good news_ is an idiot. No news can drive you nuts. Good or bad it’s better to be in the know because then you can move forward in some measure.

A week had gone by and Sam’s lack of response to my text message had me worried that he wouldn’t reply at all. Dad tried to talk to me but I told him that I didn’t want to talk about anything. He didn’t pressure me; he had an idea what was going on and figured I had enough on my plate. Elena, Bonnie and Tyler tried to call but each time I let it go to voicemail. I didn’t want to talk to anyone in the off chance that I would miss Sam’s call or email. I wasn’t getting any premonitions or having any dreams that would give me an idea of where his head was at. I wondered if Bonnie knew but then I realized that I didn’t want to know. I preferred to hear it from Sam either way. I was tempted to call or write him a few times but I had a feeling I should leave him alone and let him respond in his own time.

Finally... halfway through August and a couple of weeks since our chaotic trip, I got a response and that’s when my whole world fell apart.

_“Nina,_

_I’ve tried to write this a hundred times but I just couldn’t find the words. The bottom line is you’re right; you deserve better. I’ve screwed up royally and you almost died because of it. I have a hard time looking in the mirror after that. I fooled myself into thinking we could have a normal life together, that despite whatever came our way we’d be fine, but I was wrong. Sorely wrong. Sure at first everything was great but then my past came back to bite us both in the ass, more than once and then it became crystal clear what the real problem was: **me.** If there was only a single, isolated incident this email would be heading in a different direction but there have been too many close calls and I love you too much to put you through it again. Initially I was going to send an abrupt, calloused email but that’s just not me and most of all you don’t deserve that. I can’t have you thinking that any of this is your fault because it isn’t. It’s mine, ALL mine. I know you think I'm wrong and that the attacks were random but they aren’t. I'm exposed to a lot of things that would make the average person quiver in their shoes. You, however, are above average and for that reason you must be protected above all else. I have to shield you from what I'm exposed to and the only way I can do that is to end things between us and to cut all ties. I don’t want to and believe me; I’ve racked my brain to figure out an alternative or a way to fix it so we can stay together but it’s no use. I'm damned if I do or damned if I don’t. If I keep you in my life I’ve damned you to what I face almost every day and if I don’t keep you in my life it hurts like hell. There is no easy answer here and but I have to go with the answer that I can live with and it’s based solely on your safety. You live. That’s it. The only reasonable conclusion is that I leave and you get to have a happy life, however it may hurt—it’s the right thing to do. I can’t offer you what you need or want. It’s best if we move on. _

_I hope someday you can find the grace in your sweet heart to forgive me for breaking all the promises I made to you. I’ll never regret meeting you or sharing what little time we had. My only regrets are the pain I’ve caused and that this will be the last time you hear from me._

_~ Sam.”_

I froze. I didn’t move for about 15 minutes. Tears fell down my cheeks as I stared at the email. Suddenly it occurred to me that I should try to call him. I had to make him see reason, make him see that we control our own fate. I dialled his cell but a strange recording came on that advised the number was disconnected. I tried it again and got the same message. I did it 20 times with the same result and then I hung up despondently. I sat back down at my desk and replied to his message but within seconds I received an error message that the email address didn’t exist. That’s when it hit me: this was a done deal. He disconnected his cell number and deleted his email account so I couldn’t reach him. It was over, for good this time, and I’d probably never see him again. It felt like I was stabbed in the heart a hundred times. I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye. I logged out of my email account, stood up from my desk, backed up a few steps and then collapsed on the floor. That’s when I broke. I sobbed so hard that it sounded like I was dying. My Dad ran into the room and saw me on my knees with my hands over my face. He didn’t even have to ask; it was obvious what was wrong. He knelt beside me and held me against him while I cried myself into exhaustion and passed out.

It was a good thing I still had a couple of weeks before school began. I was in rough shape. All I did was practically sleep, cry, stare into space, every single day. Dad left me alone and made sure a nanny watched over the twins when he was at work so I wouldn’t have to. They kept their distance, knowing I needed time to myself. I lived in my sweatpants and t-shirt. I didn’t bathe more than 3 times a week but I didn’t care. I was so depressed that I felt like I was dying of a broken heart and it never felt like it was going to end. I avoided all my friends and didn’t bother checking my email or answering my phone.


End file.
